


It's Just Biology, Baby

by B3BRV3



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Crime, Dark, F/M, Mystery, Romance, Sad, Thriller
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 04:04:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 22,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13068753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B3BRV3/pseuds/B3BRV3
Summary: Nick is dealing with something serious, so serious that he can't keep it hidden any longer. Feelings for another species. And Judy is dealing with something serious, something she needs to understand. Actual feelings for someone of a romantic nature. And in between this all is a serious case about missing monkeys. MISSING MONKEYS! How will this all sort out? FINISHED.





	1. Chapter 1

"Speeding ticket... my lucky day."

Pete, the rabbit, took one big sigh out as he looked at the ticket that was stuck on his car and picked it up.

"It's best I pay it straight away. Just straight away, no fuss... just in, out... done... hopefully she won't see me."

He felt his little bunny cheeks heat up in a blush as he thought of that cop he had had a crush on since he had seen her on the news getting her badge.

He sighed... feeling hopeless in his feelings, which he knew a bunny like him would never measure up to even admitting to himself in the mirror.

He got in his small van and muttered under his breath once again.

"In, out... she deserves a real bunny... a real rabbit..."

He chuckled weakly, pathetically and continued to himself. "Oh gosh, I hope no one heard me say that."

xxxx

"So partner, buddy of mine." Judy teased as she hung over Nick's desk and the fox pulled a casual look at her.

He was amused, enchanted... well maybe mostly amused... if he was enchanted he was never going to let Judy see the speck of interest on his face.

"Yes, Bunny Cakes, what can I do for one so as capable as you?"

He liked to tease... more so he liked to flirt but Judy seemed oblivious to what flirting actual meant.

She knew they were best friends... but romantic interest seemed to not be something she had ever shown anyone in her life.

"Oh, nothing... I was just wondering if you wanted to look at this interesting case I was handed today."

Nick closed his laptop, that he was currently on, and placed it complacently to the side. He took the file casually off of Judy and read through the file in a few minutes. Taking his time as he was so absorbed in it- at least, that's what Judy thought. Him, he was trying to annoy her with his lack of disinterest that she had always just thought was a part of him.

A fox's nature...

No Judy, no... he thought in his brain, a little tired of all these games he was playing with her that she had absolutely no experience in, more like... hint, hint, we should go out... we should be a couple.

But he would never say the simple words. "Judy, you and me are basically dating. This is more than friendship to me"

No, because... never, not once, in the history of all of Zootopia, had there been an interspecies couple. Animals just didn't do that. They knew the rules... it was just.

He gave out a long dead sigh as he was reminded of that little bit of dialogue that was in Judy's press conference a couple of months ago. "It's just in their biology."

Yes. That was it. That's why he knew there must be something screwed up with him if he was attracted to a bunny. A cute bunny, and not just that... but most his life he had been attracted to cute fluffy animals that weren't of his own kind.

He guessed, he could say, he was... unluckily... one of a kind himself.

"So, what do you think of the case?"

Judy's purple eyes were studying him, eagerly. She just had to know what was on his mind, what was on her best friends illusive mind and Nick just gazed up at her, bored and a little frustrated on the inside.

"I think it can be taken care of in forty eight hours."

"Ha, ha... mister." Judy said, still leaning on his desk, and poked him in the chest playfully. But he knew she was being serious. "Five animals have gone missing in a small neighbourhood just around the suburbs."

"Yes, Judy, I see that." he said, as professionally as he could. Which was of course, him just being frustrated with the persistence. It was the fifth case she had snuck under his nose today... and the reason why this one annoyed him more than the others was because this case in particular was...

"Look, Judy, darling, sweet baby of mine."

"Ah, you are such a great friend."

"Yes, 'friend'," He said, and didn't pause to put out even more romantic sentiments that always flew right over her head and cute bunny ears. "This case can't be solved. It's dead... like literally... five years old and no one found those monkeys, or any trace of them. There's no leads... and the police have this filed as unsolvable."

"You see," Judy said with a grin, and he smirked at that... why was she so cute... he meant to think... so sure of herself? "I know we can crack it. We solved the biggest case in the history of this planet. I'm sure this one will be a synch to."

"That other case was a synch to you?" Nick said, with a raised eyebrow and a grin of his own, liking her confidence a little too much. "Okay miss Bugs Bunny-"

"You know that cartoon is outlawed"

"We'll solve the case, just the two of us... I mean... it's not like it's going to lead us to nothing."

"Exactly." Judy said, and beamed larger at that. "We can solve anything, I mean with my quick thinking, and your sly hands."

"I find that slightly prejudice."

"Oh you know you love it." Judy said in a smooth voice of her own, that sounded seductive even though he knew she couldn't hear it herself.

"We'll crack this mysterious case, or else my name isn't Judy Hopps!"

"Yeah, and mine, Nick... why do I listen to you all the time?"

"Exactly."

"Well, you got me on a leash, Judy..." Nick said, giving up his paws and showing she could imprison him forever if she so pleased. "We'll get it solved in forty eight hours."

"Thank you, Nick." Judy said, happily, and rubbed her clasped knuckles into his head, giving him a playful nuggy... oh, the torture he would never let her see she was given him.

"You and me, Nick. We can do anything."

"Not anything..." Nick said under his breath, turning away and resting his head on his paw. Tired of how he found it harder and harder not to literally shout the words in a nonchalant way.

"I love you, you silly bunny!"

Judy winked at him, and he felt his cheeks heat up the tiniest bit by that oblivious flirt and watched her skip off, looking at her fluffy tale and firm bum hidden away under her police uniform, and heard Garrath say behind him.

"Oh... you've got it bad, man..."

Nick's ears perked up, and he turned around, looking at Garrath the rhino and said in a little of a shocked choked voice.

"Excuse me?"

"You and miss baby cakes... don't think that we don't see it."

"Yeah, friends... talking about friendly things... like murder cases and assassinations."

"Mmm Hmm." Izzy added in, the wolf that had been listening in the distance as the offices really weren't far from each other in the tiny cubicles they all mantained.

"You think we don't hear what you two talk about? Or what you say under your breath every five seconds."

"And what would I be saying?" Nick said, trying to act calm and casual but just sounded hiddenly pissed and annoyed. Anyone knowing Nick, would know this.

"I want to do you."

"It's more than that." Nick growled, almost feeling like he would claw out that wolf's eyes if she didn't shut her mouth.

Judy had ears that could hear a mile away.

"Oh, don't worry. Judy's listening to her ipod." Izzy said with a sneaky grin and pat Nick on the head with her huge claw. Very patronizingly, if he had to admit. And he would if he was not to overcome with rage to lose his cool.

"It's more than that."

"We know." Garrath had to reassert, and Izzy growled at the rhino, as she wasn't done being a bitch yet.

"But you know it's messed up, right, Nick?" Thomas added in, the tiger that was behind Nick now and Nick only grew his eyes wide, startled as he just shouted into the air.

"Effing hell! Does everyone here know besides Judy?"

He saw a bunch of giant nodding heads and the fox only sulked, slumping back on his chair, before falling his head into his paws and whispering.

"So, what should I do? Get some medication for this weird attraction?"

"Look... it's not as uncommon as what you think." Garrath said, and slid Nick a card. Nick looked at it confused and read the words.

"I have bestiality support line."

"Look, I don't have bestiality."

"Denial..." Izzy said, cockily.

"I don't."

"It's estimated that five percent of the population does."

"Whoopie, and where'd you get those statistics, Garrath?"

"Online... you can find some messed up stuff like that on there."

"Yeah... like goats mating with lions."

"Are you saying that the mayor has-"

"Chh..." Thomas said, laughing his head off at Nick's assumption and the fox frowned disheartened that he had got it automatically wrong. "No. You do know there is more than one lion in this city right?"

"Yeah..." Nick said, a little quietly with a sigh, and looked at the card and the phone number on it. "Remember, I know everyone... I just didn't think I had... that I was... that I was messed up."

"Just be glad that Judy is a dumb bunny." Izzy said with a snicker, even though she quite liked Judy as a cop, herself.

"Yeah... lucky... me..."

The fox turned the card over a few times before putting it in his pocket and keeping it secret and hidden from cute bunny eyes.

xxxx

Away at the entrance to the police station, Pete stepped in a little timidly, as he watched all the giant animals march past him.

He swallowed as he approached the heavy cheater and said in as brave a voice he could.

"Excuse me sir."

"Awe!"

Pete froze up as Benjamin looked down on him and said quickly.

"No, I will not say it... I won't say it..."

"Say what..?" Pete asked, nervously, swallowing and Benjamin just looked at him before saying in delightful glee.

"Just how adorable you are, little bunny! Awe! You know, you'd make quite a good match for another bunny friend of mine."

"LISTEN!" Pete said in an instant and hopped onto the table, handing the ticket over as fast as he could and shoving the money desperately into Benjamin's chubby hands.

"I HAVE TO GO!"

He jumped off the table, crashing to the ground, not looking to where he was hopping too and when he hit the hard floor, he didn't end up hitting the hard floor, but a girl... roughly his same size.

See, Judy had just come out of the working space and was going to the vending machine to get a carrot snack when she had been rudely bashed into by a rabbit just like her, and she looked up quickly, annoyed.

Saying.

Pretending happiness as she knew this fault, and all faults like this, were usually down to distress.

"Sorry, Sir... is there some sort of problem you have?"

Pete pushed off her immediately, not daring to look her in the eyes and stood back up on his legs, looking down to the ground and keeping quietly to himself.

"Er, Sir...?"

"OMG! He likes you!" Benjamin just squirmed in delight, and Judy raised an eyebrow up at this. She looked at the bunny, and quickly folded her arms in defence, hopping her bunny foot to the ground, now actually annoyed and a little flustered and said again.

"Hey, sir! Look at me."

Pete, he couldn't hide behind his unworthiness, his shyness. He looked slowly up into Judy's beautiful big bunny eyes and he seized up at the sight.

And then Judy seized up, as before her stood... an actually... quite attractive rabbit.

And she blushed, infuriated on the inside, but frozen on the outside.

And then Nick froze up in the distance when he witness the two cute bunnies staring at each other with that look.

That look that he hated.

Love at first sight.

And he took one deep swallow, before approaching the girl he loved.


	2. Chapter 2

Nick walked in casual steps up to the startled bunny and pat her on the shoulder, asking.

"Bunny Cakes? You okay?"

Judy seemed not able to move, as her bunny eyes examined the stranger just before her. Her nose twitched, her ears were raised up high, and she seemed for once in her life, unable to move.

"Judy?"

Nick felt a lump in his throat before turning to Pete, who was also frozen stiff, and the fox said, as unrudely as he could.

"Excuse me, Mr rabbit."

"Actual my name is Peter Wabbit."

"Okay,"

"Peter Wabbit?" Judy said in a quiet voice and Pete nodded slowly, continuing.

"Yeah, but my friends call me Pete."

"Pete?" Nick said and then Pete hesitated, laughing nervously as he put his hand behind his head and added.

"Well, they would... If I had any around."

"Okay..." Nick said, feeling like this Pete was kinda creepy now and Pete quickly seemed to realize what he said and instantly shot his paws up to correct them.

"No, what I mean is... I come from a small town originally, and I just moved here... and oh jeesh... I probably sound like a weirdo."

"We like to help everyone here." Nick said quietly, politely, but inside his mouth his teeth were grinding, as Judy hadn't said anything and was still looking at the bunny with eyes of curiosity, puzzlement.

"Weirdo?!" She finally spat out and Pete looked up at her, freezing as he thought she was making fun of him. Judy seemed to snap out of her paralysis and continued, "Sir, Pete, there are no weirdos in this city... you can be whatever you want to be. And you, Pete, are not a weirdo."

"Really?" Pete had to make certain and Judy quickly nodded her head, looking at him with huge gaping eyes and said.

"Yes."

"Judy, we need to get started on this case soon."

Judy twitched a little, looking at Pete, and smiled at him quickly, before zooming over to the vending machine. She jammed money into the slot, got ten carrot protein bars and dashed back to Nick, saying urgently.

"Okay, let's go, these should keep me awake for the whole night. This is going to be done!"

"That's the spirit, apple of my eye." Nick said, literally feeling like his heart was crushing and Judy began walking back to their office when Nick shouted to her.

"Judy."

"Yes, Nick?"

Nick paused for a second, before sighing and turning around to stare at Pete.

"Good day to you, Peter."

"It's Pete."

"Yeah... you should probably leave unless you want to get fined for harassing an officer."

"Oh, um..." Pete said quickly, looking about urgently in case anyone saw that he had done anything wrong and nodded his head, saying with a big nervous smile. "Right, well thanks for everything, officer."

"No, thank you." Nick said quietly and began to walk away too after Judy, muttering under his breath as he felt a jabbing pain in his heart, "Thank you... so much."

xxxx

In the police cafeteria, Judy was devouring the snacks like they were nothing, eating five in five minutes and Nick could sense that she was extremely anxious.

He tapped on her table and she looked up at him, smiling with orange grains on her teeth and said quickly.

"Nick, did you help that bunny?"

"Yes, yes I did... and Judy I have to ask this."

"What?" she said nervously, slotting the rest of the bars in her pocket.

"Why were you, yourself... acting so off?"

"Oh, I don't know... I guess I just thought he was... cute..."

Nick's ears dropped down instantly when she said that and he continued, leaning his paw on the table and shadowing over her.

"Him, cute? Yeah... maybe if he had any meat on his bones."

"He looked healthy."

"And maybe if he wasn't so jumpy."

"Well, that is what rabbits do."

Nick frowned, and looked down on her, sighing as he sat down on the opposite side of the table and leaned his head on his arms, asking quietly.

"Judy... am I cute?"

"Everyone's cute..." she said nervously, and Nick shut his eyes slowly to that, feeling his heart thump a little harder as he added.

"Then how come you've never called me cute?"

"Well you're more handsome than cute-"

Nick grinned instantly when those words escaped her mouth and Judy quickly waved her paws around, saying embarrassed.

"Wait- that's not what I meant."

"What do you prefer, handsome or cute?" Nick asked back casually, but it was anything but in his heart. Judy sat there, gripping onto her chair's sides in panic and just said in a quick shout.

"Are we going to start this case or what?"

"I don't know... darling, are you going to calm down... you're acting like you've tasted a bit of a Night Howler."

"No, No, I haven't." she said desperately fast, blushing and Nick grinned.

"Yeah, like you've been infected by something bad."

Judy would've come back with something as equally smart but all that was running through her mind was the 'darling' Nick had just said in his speech, the 'sweet baby of mine' he had said earlier in the day... and that guy bunny's eyes.

And she quickly looked into Nick's eyes, seeing that they were gazing deeply into hers with a mind behind them she couldn't read.

But her heart was beating faster than usual, her fur letting off sweat and she whispered.

"Nick... I think I've just come down with a bug."

"Well, too bad... we have to solve this case."

"But you said it's dead."

"Well, I just found a lead."

"And what would that be?" she said nervously, sweating as she suddenly seemed to finally clue into what all those cute nicknames' hidden meanings were.

Nick repeated off the top of his head.

"One of the 'monkeys' was a mountain gorilla, named Samual Hunts. He had a loving family and three kids. I say we go over to the mountain forest district and see what we can scrape up from his wife."

"And what's the lead in all this?"

"Oh, I sold him drugs one time..."

"Nick."

"They were under the counter, just something to help with Nightmares."

"Were they fake?" Judy asked cautionary and Nick sighed. He couldn't escape his criminal past, but at least that made him more capable for this job in many ways.

"No. They were not." he said. And Judy knew when he used that voice he was telling the absolute truth. It kinda scared her how sure of himself he was.

"Well, alright then." Judy said, and jumped up on the table, looking down on him with a big glowing smile. She was too positively upbeat about this all. But then he had to remind himself that she had just eating five high energy chocolate carrot bars.

"We are on the case."

He smiled back up at her, but his heart hurt a little as now he realized her own mind... and how it had for once noticed attraction, was now suddenly hard for him to analyse and read.

And now he was even more lost in that... now... there was a possibility of losing her.

xxxxx

The two reached the mountain range district which was cloudy, wet and very foresty and they got out of their car, walking down the slippery stone footpath as they headed towards the house of the first missing animal.

Judy seemed to chat more than usual on the car trip up, and Nick had to wonder why she was so inexhaustibly talkative.

Then the reminder set in each time.

Judy, stay away from sugar.

"And so that's when I realized, hey mister- you can't treat animals like that- so I, I-"

"Judy." Nick said calmly as they reached the front door and the bunny perked her ears up eagerly to know what he was gonna say.

"Y-yes, Nick?"

"You're cute when you eat too much sugar."

"Hey, that's speciest!"

"Excuse me, Miss Adorable." Nick said and Judy's cheeks went bright red under her fur, but Nick could sense the heat suddenly exuding off of her and said back, slyly.

"You called me handsome before... is it not speciest to call a fox handsome?"

"Well, not many foxes are handsome."

Nick gave a pretend gasp and uttered under his breath with a grin, "Speciest."

"Nick, I didn't mean it like that." Judy said, trying to defend herself and the fox only smiled, saying.

"No, I understand..." He pressed the door bell and Judy stood beside him, upset now at her mistake... and she always tried her best to accept everyone.

"You just find one fox handsome."

"Nick..." she said under her breath and he couldn't help himself but to add.

"I guess that's why I'm such a... fox?"

"Urgh..." Judy said, sulking and running her paw down her face in humiliation. But before she had a chance to retaliate, the door opened and a female gorilla looked down at the two tiny police officers.

She just smirked and said kindly. "It's not Halloween yet... why are you dressed like that?"

"M'am. We are officers."

"But you're so puny."

"M'am, you do not want to offend us." Judy replied even more stern and Nick just added in.

"Yeah, whatever you do, don't call her cute... that's like calling a fox handsome."

"Niiick..." Judy said, annoyed at him, and she thumped her foot on the ground before turning to her partner and saying.

"Are you not going to act professional on a case like this?"

"But I am."

"Sorry, am I disturbing something, little guys?"

"M'am." Judy said, and looked the confused gorilla right in the eye. "I'm a girl bunny."

"I think she could tell, Judy." Nick said back, tired but loving all the mishaps they were already having.

"Are you Mrs Hunts?"

"I was..." the gorilla said quietly and looked at the two before adding. "Before my husband disappeared five years ago. I got remarried... I'm now Mrs Bongo."

Nick smirked, amused at this and Judy pulled him a look, telling him off.

"Sorry," Nick said, wiping a tear from his eye, and continued, calming himself. "But sometimes our last names really are so stupid."

"Hmpth..." Mrs Bongo said, offended and Nick calmed himself even more. Getting as mellow as he could before he said slowly.

"Mrs Bongo... Was your previous husband acting funny a couple of weeks before he disappeared."

"Yes." she said, seeming to forget his rude antics before and continued. "He was very drowsy... he nearly had a car accident."

"Right. Thank you, that's all we need to know." Nick said and turned, leaving the scene of the crime. Judy hopped to position, startled, and followed her best friend as he walked away.

"Nick, what are you doing?"

"Solving this crime." the fox said smoothly, and got back in the car. Judy followed him and hopped in frustrated as she didn't know where he was going with this and she absolutely had to.

xxxxx

In a few minutes time the car parked before a giant chasm, and the fox got out. Judy followed him and he looked at her saying.

"Mr Hunts was on sleeping tablets, not 'No more scary Nightmare tablets.'"

Judy followed him along as he stood at the gate that stopped animals from falling into the pit of doom.

"Some side affects included drowsiness, loss of concentration... and sleep walking."

"What are you saying?" Judy said, fearing something bad was going to come out of Nick's mouth and fox looked at her slowly. Seeming to know what he had done and sighed a deep breath of regret.

"I think Mr Hunts... shared the tablets around with some primates... and the unlucky ones... slept walked off into this chasm."

"Oh my horse nipples." Judy cussed and Nick had to restrain his inside tortured laughing at that reply. But he wasn't going to laugh even though that was the funniest swear he had ever heard come out of her cute bunny lips. No, he was upset... because of his stupid antic's in the past had probably killed five or more monkeys.

"I'm sorry, Judy... I was just... well... after sales."

"That can't be it."

Nick approached Judy and gave her a hug, fearing that it was it and Judy tried to push off him but was enveloped in his loving embrace.

"Nick, I don't believe you killed them."

"I did, but."

"No... they aren't dead... they can't be."

"Judy..." He said, and held up her chin with his paw, looking into her eyes and saying, "Get some choppers down there and I swear you will find skeletons."

"No." Judy said and just gazed into his sad green eyes, and felt a draw from them... an ancient dangerous extinctive draw.

"You are not dangerous... They are not dead. No one has to know... this case is..."

He looked at her confused, and Judy just swallowed, continuing.

"This case is dead... we solved it in two hours. Let's go back to the station."

"Judy..."

"I was wrong to look up cases that are filed as unsolvable... I know that now." Judy replied, and gave Nick a sudden warm hug back, jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck.

The fox paused, as she had never given him a hug like that before and he wrapped his arms tighter around her, too.

"Let's go." Judy said, and let go of him. The fox reluctantly let go of his grasp on her too and the two began walking back towards the car.

Judy got into the driver's seat and Nick took the passenger this time... as he felt a part of him... a part of their friendship had slightly broken just then... not became stronger until Judy said.

"Let's go to your place. We need to talk."

Nick looked down to the ground, to his police uniform and said quietly.

"Okay... hunny bunny..."

"Right, right on... foxy... fox..." Judy said quietly, playing the game for once and he blinked, looking at her confused... what the hell were they going to talk about at his place?

And then after the talking... what were they going to do then?


	3. Chapter 3

The journey back was quiet... isolating and silent.

Nick looked over to Judy a few times, not knowing what to really say. What words could he get out? Maybe none, would be best. But some of the words he had already spoken had gotten him into hot water.

But his best friend had whisked him out of it... denying the claim he had made and simply stated.

"No one needs to know."

But yes, yes in fact they did.

But prison... disqualification... losing a place in society he had never held before... was it worth it just to be noble in himself?

He had spent so many of his years not being noble... why should he start now?

Because, murder is murder... no matter what degree it is in involvement.

"We're here."

Nick paused in his thinking, as he saw that they had arrived outside his apartment block and he had to ask.

"I thought we were going to the station first?"

"No, Nick... we need to talk."

"Look, Judy... please, don't make me talk about my past... about my stupid affiliations."

"Nick." the bunny only spoke back quietly, and hit her head weakly into the wheel, frustrated... but scared if anything else. "We have to talk about everything... this is really serious. And we have to talk."

"No, Carrots, you don't seem to understand. I can't talk about this tonight... it's just... too soon. Sorry."

Nick began to get out of the car, but the door locked automatically and the fox smirked, looking at Judy, with a raised eyebrow and simply replied.

"Wow, I wonder how to unlock this."

He began to flick the lock on his door open and Judy just locked it again with her keys.

"This game... is annoying..." he said with a tired breath, and looked at her. He turned back and said in a simple sigh. "Fine come in... I've got some rabbit stew left over from last night anyway."

"Ha ha." Judy said quietly, not amused and she hopped out of her side, unlocking Nick's door with her keys and the fox got out as well.

Though he felt the tenseness throughout his body magnify and make him nervous about their upcoming discussion.

xxxx

They walked into the apartment block, and in five minutes time were on the sixth floor and in Nick's kitchen, Judy drinking herbal tea while Nick helped himself to some coffee.

"So, we'll just put the file back, and tell everyone that we found nothing, no trace, nadda."

Nick said this in quick precise words and Judy just kept quiet as she gave quick sips of her tea, before adding finally.

"Okay."

"I honestly believe that-"

"Okay, Nick... okay..." Judy just interrupted him, frustrated in herself and he looked at her, a little worried as he asked.

"Everything okay, hunny bunny?"

"No... besides this STUPID case, I have to know... what the hell are we doing, Nick?"

The fox grew nervous at that reply, and looked around trying to find something to hide his confusion- or worse yet, exact knowledge of what she was speaking of.

"We are covering up a crime scene... because I made five monkeys fall off a ledge-"

"Not just that, and yes... that is horrible let alone bizarre as it is." the bunny replied but looked up at him from the table she was sitting at, Nick just leaning against the counter a little away and she asked again.

"But about us... Nick... are you hiding something from me?"

"No..." he said slowly, but his voice in his head was straining to just shout. Think, Judy, think! The hints aren't all that subtle!

"Sometimes I think about how such a good friend you are. And how you always got my back."

Nick felt his lips rise in a strained smile and he said in a pained forced voice.

"You're welcome, Judy."

"But sometimes... I feel, like... you're hiding something from me... something not murder related... and it scares me."

Nick's eyes widened a little, worried. He didn't want to scare her, but were feelings for another species really that bad... and was there possibly no chance of her ever feeling them back?

"I'm just... being your best bud... buddy." he said under his breath, hating how his lies were so forced and Judy just gave a small nod, smiling up at him weakly as she finished her tea and got up, approaching him. She held his paw in hers and his eyes opened more agape at this simple action.

"You'll make a vixen very happy one day, Nick..."

Alarm bells were ringing off in his head.

NO JUDY! I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A VIXEN HAPPY! I WANT TO MAKE YOU HAPPY!

"What if, let's say..." he began nonchalantly, trying to be as calm as he could but felt like hiding these feelings was harder than hiding this crime. "What if I don't want a vixen... what if I already like somebody else."

"Like who?" Judy said naively, but Nick had to honestly ask himself, Okay, Judy. You are not this stupid.

"Let's say... someone I know very well... who believes in me and everyone else around her."

"Wow, she sounds amazing." Judy said, and let go of his paw, nudging him playfully as she added, "If I were a gay, I'd definitely want to hit there."

Yeah, Judy... Nick thought blankly in his mind, You haven't quite got the street euphemisms down just yet.

"Yeah... okay?" Nick said, still a little bewildered at just how bad that sentence came out of the girl of his dream's mouth. "Well I am a straight... and I like her... but she is not a vixen..."

"Is she imaginary?"

"What?"

"You just haven't, hint hint," Judy said, nudging him again with her elbow and winked, "Met her yet."

"Was there like, some alcohol in that tea... you are acting... surprisingly..."

Judy looked at him, expecting a playful bantering insult but just got out of him.

"Charming."

"Oh, um..." Judy said and blushed a little, "Thanks, Nick..."

Dammit! She thought to herself just then as well and looked at the fox, with annoyed eyes, He knows that I know!

Yes, Judy had caught on quite earlier in the day that Nick had feelings for her... and she really didn't want to have to say.

Nick! You are like my best friend! Please don't let this be something more.

She guessed all the times when he said, I love you, in different ways was all just the one way. The way she didn't want to accept.

"I have to go now,"

"Sure you don't want more tea? You are amusing me..." Nick said with a smile. He really didn't want her to go. He wanted her to stay the whole night if he could manage some web of lies to find a reason for her non-departure.

"No... Nick... I can't."

"But... I'm in a crises here... I just found out I killed five monkeys!"

"You will cope."

"Only with support... and you are the only one who knows!"

Damn, he's got me there, Judy thought suddenly, but then suddenly! A HA!

"Nick, I must leave you."

"And... why?"

"Because, I have to go back to the station and take the case off the registry."

Damn, she is one sly bunny... Nick subconsciously thought amused. But all his heart kept pumping into his head in painful thumps was.

"Am I really... not lovable to you, Judy?"

Why is he so lovable! Judy screamed in her head when she saw Nick's expression drop into a sad helpless one, and she smiled at him, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Repeating.

"Everything will be fine."

Now Nick hadn't heard those words as the only thing that was going through his mind was. A kiss? She has never done that b-before...

He swallowed nervously, finding it harder to let go of her this time but he unclasped his paws from around her waste and said back quietly.

"Okay... thanks, lover-"

Oh, hold on! Judy thought, like what the hell?

"What?"

"Nothing." Nick said quickly and went to lead her out of his place. Judy walked behind him, startled, puzzled, lost.

She needed to get out of here as a million feelings were rushing through her.

xxxx

When she found herself finally back downstairs she heard her phone ring and she picked it up saying.

"Hello, Judy Hopps?"

Her voice was a little shaky, and not at all able to handle a call at this moment. But she acted professional, even though she was shattering on the inside.

"I know what Nick Wilde did."

"Banana CAKES!" Judy cussed, and the animal on the other side said in a quiet voice.

"If you don't want anyone to find out, you better do as I say."

"Who is this?"

"Just a watchful eye."

"Well, tell me, watchful eye. What did Nick do?"

"Monkeys."

"Coconut balls!" Judy cussed again and the voice laughed on the other side. It was muffled and hard to distinguish.

"Now, you will-"

"Wait- you have no proof."

"Oh don't I?"

"No... do you?"

"Surveillance cameras."

"Oh! Monkey testicles of a stick!"

"You really need to wash your mouth."

"Are you a cop?"

There was a silence.

"Who is this?"

The phone went dead and Judy froze up, freaking out but she knew what she had to do that moment. She ran back to the car and got in. She started up the engine and just as she pulled out of the driveway, she got a text.

She looked at it and saw it say, from a hidden number.

3 DAYS

"DAMN IT, DAMN IT, DAMN IT!" She yelled, slamming her head to the wheel at each of the damn it's. She pulled herself together quickly and got on her way.

She drove back to the district of the mountain forest range and got out of the car in a hurry.

But with her she brought a rope. She tied it around the car's steering wheel, before throwing the rope over the ledge and hopping down the side of the giant cliff walls of the chasm, with it.

She hopped down it for half an hour, terrified at just how deep this chasm went until she finally saw in the darkness-

A giant pool of water.

"What?" Judy said to herself completely puzzled and lost and touched her foot off the water. It was cold and wet and she did not like it.

But just as she was about to admit hopeless defeat, she saw just ahead of her in the darkness and mist that came off the water-

A foggy light in the distance.

And surrounding that foggy light, was a pier... and boats.

"What is this place?" Judy thought aloud, worried and scared. She hopped off into the pool of water that stretched for quite a distance and landed her wet paws on the wooden pier in a couple of minutes time. As she climbed up onto the wooden structure, she looked around and just saw fog before her, with ominous lights in the distance.

She began to take one small step after another closer to the lights in the distance when there was a sudden beep on her cop radio and she heard a loud worried radio call say.

"Requesting back up for a hostage situation in the rough side of Hoofs district! All cops on call!"

"Oh sugar!" Judy just spat out, terrified that she was so far away, but even more scared that she didn't know what this far away place here was itself.

She called back on her speaker.

"Judy Hopps, can't come just yet... struggling with... er... depression!"

"Judy!"

She shivered when she heard Chief Bogo scream her name out at her.

"Get here now!"

"Yes, Chief!" Judy said, terrified of that buffalo and scampered back into the water, hitting the cold liquid in a splash and jumping up her rope as quick as she could to get to her post.

Time suddenly not being a factor for the bunny even though being three hours away, she would never make it in time.

Away in the distance, glowing yellow eyes watched her climb away back up the cliff wall. The eyes just turned away, going back into the mist... whispering secrets to its companions.


	4. Chapter 4

Judy arrived on the scene of the crime in two and a half hours time. She made excuses for her own traffic speeding with "State of panic" and "Emergency is suit" being the main ones.

Normally she would be kicking herself for driving so fast, but she was in no right mind at the moment.

No, instead she was being blackmailed, with only 3 days being the message. Three days for what? They never told her what they wanted? Yes that mysterious voice was only the beginning of her worries.

Then there was also the never known about boating and docking area in that chasm, that Judy was shocked had never been spoken about or wasn't even on the map of Zootopia. What was going on there?

She reached the scene of the crime, only to find that it was quiet, depressing and dead in atmosphere.

She got out of her car and just looked around, seeing a female horse crying to herself with a paramedic comforting her and Judy felt a sudden silence in her body.

In her surroundings.

In her mind...

She was too late.

"JUDY!"

She froze, seeing chief Bogo storming over to her with a furious face on and she swallowed, replying.

"Yes... sir?"

"Where were you? Weren't you meant to be back at the station?"

"How did you know I was-"

"Nick told us, that's where you said you were meant to be heading after you left him. What's going on?"

"Chief, look, I just had to investigate something-"

"This isn't just a Hopps solo show, Judy. We really needed you in this situation."

"How did it go down."

"A young stallion was shot and killed."

"Oh...god..."

"We needed someone of your size to get behind the killer and disarm him. Nick's not as quick as you."

"Nick... Nick..." Judy said quietly to herself, her eyes tired, dazed. She suddenly snapped out of her confused thinking and shot her eyes up at Bogo, saying. "Nick?! Is he okay-"

"He's fine." Bogo just said. He grunted the words, not really wanting to go into specifics and pointed to the ambulance that was stationed in the distance. Judy stiffened completely. No... he wasn't injured- was he?

She ran over to the vehicle and only felt her pulse slow down when she saw Nick was being taken care of with a bullet wound in his shoulder.

"NICK!"

He blinked. He looked up, still feeling the pain of a hurting shoulder bone and froze for a second. Before giving a soft smile and saying to the rabbit.

"Oh, it's you."

He didn't seem pissed or anything... not upset or angry. She approached him carefully anyway and said in pain, upset.

"Nick, I'm so sorry..."

"Where were you, Carrots? You said you were going back to the station?"

His question again, wasn't angry or full of rage. Just interest and curiosity.

"Nick... I... I got stuck somewhere... in traffic."

"Uh huh..." he said, not believing this one bit. He looked her up and down blankly, seeing the exhausting that was in her body and said. "But knowing you. You would've found somewhere to get here in that traffic. This is only twenty minutes from my place."

"Listen, I'm sorry... but that's-" Judy began, and feared mentioning the phone call to him, or the hidden boating area. Who knew what would happen if that voice knew that she was telling the officers about all the scandals that were happening just before her eyes.

"That's the t-truth..."

Nick raised an eyebrow up. He stared at her quietly for a second and said after a second more. "No. No, it's pretty obvious that it's not..."

"Believe me... you do not want to know right now where I was..." she said in a hissing whisper, desperate for him to get the message that she couldn't share this info. For his own safety, is what she feared risking.

He stared at her again. He was getting annoyed now. He was getting frustrated. Why couldn't she tell him? He was her best friend and partner in crime. He growled under his breath, slightly upset. Slightly in pain by his gunshot.

"Okay... fine..." he said finally, not acting like he cared anymore, but it was pretty obvious that he still did. Judy could see this as plain as day, but she would not speak of her location... for she loved her best friend too much to put him in unwarranted danger.

Though it felt like he was getting good enough at doing that on his own, anyway.

"So what exactly happened here."

"Sorry, it's confidential..." Nick just replied back sourly, and Judy paused, blinking shocked that she got that answer and replied.

"Excuse me?"

"I can't speak of it, you need to ask someone else if you want to know."

"Nick, you were right in the centre of the action... you can tell me anything."

"Funny, that seems to not apply to the both of us."

She looked at him, surprised and a little hurt. She saw him glare upset eyes back at her and she just turned around, looking back at the scene of the crime and muttered.

"Okay... okay..."

She began to walk away, not knowing what to do with herself now... what to say to him. It should've been easy to know what to reply with, but this wasn't simple banter... this was a rejection of her trust and loyalty.

Why couldn't he see that she had to keep this secret to protect him from somethings that could be much worse.

Nick sat on the ambulances trolley and watched her walk away, angry... at her... and at himself.

He was not being a proper fox... he was just living right back up to the stereotype of cold, heartless and most of all... looking out for his own skin.

But really... all he was, was... hurt...

And hurting more because he had hurt her just as badly.

xxxx

Judy tossed and turned in bed that night. She woke up in the middle of the night, just passed three o clock and all she did when she woke, was cry.

Cry stupid tears of self pity. She looked over to her draw and pulled her phone to her. She unlocked it and looked at the text again.

"Three days."

"Three days, for what?!" she begged in a cry, in a pitiful sorrowful hiss. She was not going to have a breakdown tonight, she wasn't going to let all of this get to her.

But she couldn't handle this all by herself.

But time was running out. She needed to track that number... but then the police would see she was doing something suspicious... this animal really had her on a tight rope.

She got up out of bed and just sat on the edge of the mattress. Breathing heavily in and out.

She left the apartment at four o clock and walked around the deserted streets of Zootopia at night.

It was different in the late hours of the night time. There wasn't many animals around, though the ones she did see were all shady characters.

She didn't go down some streets, knowing that there were prostitutes and pimps out to make a quick buck. She hated this side of the crime life. She passed a late night chip shop and walked in.

She only walked in because she saw that they served carrot fries and hopped up to the stool on the counter saying.

"Service please."

"Oh cheese and crackers!"

Judy didn't bother to listen to this small cry of glee in the distance behind the deep frying machine but there was two guy rabbits looking at her with huge gaping eyes.

"Look!" Hector said to his best friend Pete, "It's that girl you made a fool of yourself in front of today!"

"Shut up, Hector!" Pete said to him embarrassed and just furious at his friend for his loud antics, "She doesn't even probably remember me."

"She's hot." Hector said, and slicked his ears back, walking over to the counter to introduce himself, but Pete- in a sudden urge of jealousy- grabbed him and said.

"Hector, please don't make a scene- You have like two girlfriends already- and are paying child support to five different bunnies with one hundred kids."

"Damn, you're right." Hector said, feeling slightly put off by that fact. "Where as, you've never even been with a girl!"

"Shut up, I said!" Pete yelled at him and nearly swung a fist at his friend but Hector just hopped to dodge his strike. The brash and brave bunny hopped up to the counter and said to Judy, with a slick smile.

"What can I do ya for?"

Judy just gazed tiredly up at him, she had been making a face with some tooth picks and replied.

"I'll just have a bag of carrot fries."

"Right on it, baby doll."

Judy paused when she heard this stranger say that name, and glared up to see Hector giving her a cheesy smile.

"Excuse me sir, I am an officer."

"I know, and are one tough cookie."

"Do you want to be arrested?"

"NO!" Pete said quickly, pulling his friend away and back behind the fryer, but Judy froze up when she saw Mr Wabbit and said.

"Hey, you!"

Pete shuddered- he didn't want to be seen, and turned coming back out and getting nudges by Hector the whole time to get out there.

"Look," Pete said, nervously and a bit ashamed, "I'm sorry about my friend... he came from a small town originally and he does not know how to respect-" Pete said this while he glared at Hector who just snickered, "-females properly."

Judy just stared at Pete, a bit wary and Pete added on nervously, "In other words, he's an idiot."

"Hey!"

"And his genes have been passed on to way too many bunnies already."

"Hey!" Hector said again.

"Seriously, like... we are... we are a doomed species now."

Judy actually gave a bit of a laugh at this and Pete froze up at how he was able to make her chuckle.

He laughed back too, though his laugh was more awkward and unsure... he was being serious. The rabbit species was doomed now.

"I remember you from today."

"I remember you too... sorry, for... bashing into you."

"It was an accident... it happens." Judy replied and Pete just gave a small nod and smile. He turned leaving her to put on her fries, but already saw Hector was stubbornly dealing with that. Hector gave him a sly smile and pushed his friend back out there to talk to Judy and Pete swallowed when he had to confront his on inferiority at such a strong independent beautiful bunny girl.

"Do you want a carrot coke to go with that?" He asked back nervously, feeling his body relaxing a little. Maybe it was because the awkwardness of a first meeting had already happened, or maybe it was because he was working night shifts and was already exhausted because he only slept five hours a day in between his two jobs.

"No. No thanks, I'm still a little awake from those chocolate bars I ate today."

"Here you go, miss." Hector said, returning to the two of them again and sliding the oily chips in a bag to Judy with two bopping eyebrows. "Extra oily, keeps the fur glossy."

"No..." Pete replied, looking at Hector with shame that he knew this bunny so well. Hector being his oldest, and only friend to come with him to the big city.

Pete wanting to make a go of a life, whereas Hector wanted to get away from all his illegitimate children.

"No it doesn't. I know." Judy said with a small giggle, and picked up a chip with her paw, eating it and feeling the burn in her mouth. She swallowed down the chip and took a small heated breath out, not expecting it to be so hot.

"Careful, just right out of the frier," Hector said, clicking his thumbs at her and she just rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, I couldn't help you with your problem today." Judy said to Pete and Pete nodded his head, putting his paw behind it nervously as he laughed responding.

"Believe me, it's okay... I actually... just needed to-"

"Hey, Miss Judy Hopps." Hector interrupted him and Pete stood off to the side... feeling his own self esteem dip ever more. "Do you really want to know the knick knacks of it all. Just know that this guy-"

Hector pulled Pete to him and grinned. Pete however was freaking out.

"Has the hots for you."

"Excuse me-?" Judy said, blushing madly at that statement, and Pete hid himself behind his ears. Hector just nodded in such a noble stupid way and said to Pete, walking away nonchalantly.

"You're welcome."

"I swear I don't!" Pete had to say and Judy just grabbed her chip bag about to leave from embarrassment herself.

"I know, I know... look you're a nice guy... but... but I have too much going on in my life to deal with nice guys at the moment."

"I know," Pete said, feeling his heart cracking into pieces and continued, "You probably already have a boyfriend."

Judy had to pause before she reached the door, and looked at him, biting her lip as she actually didn't want to go... but Nick Wilde was all that plagued her mind when Pete had said that word.

Boyfriend...

"No..." Judy said just then, stopping herself and taking a small sad step back to the rabbit. "I... I..."

Her phone started ringing and she picked it up, looking at the number only to see it was unlisted.

She swallowed... that animal with the voice knew she was awake... that was the only private number that had ever called her phone so far and she didn't know what to do.

The ringing could be heard all across the chipper shop and Judy just started to breath in and out in panicky breaths.

"Are you okay...?"

She heard Pete's kind voice say, worried.

She shook her head. Looked at her phone... and in a state of panic threw it at the wall.

Only to realize-

"Popsicles!"

As it smashed into pieces.

She ran over to it, trying to pick it up, but all she could scavenge was the phone id card.

"Why did you do that...?" Pete asked, afraid something serious was going on, and Judy just cried...

"Look, here!"

Pete jumped over the counter and got out his phone. He took the phone id card and took out his own phone, putting his own id card in his pocket and sliding hers in.

Judy looked at him, amazed... and just quiet at what he just did.

He turned on his phone again and her screen saver popped up with a new message addressed to her.

Judy took his phone, and looked at the message, panicking so much when it said.

"If you don't arrest Nick in two and a half days, I'll release the footage on every screen in this city."

Pete read the message too, just because he couldn't pull his eyes away from it and he looked at her shocked.

"What did he do?"

"Nothing!" Judy just spat, frustrated and in tears as she got up and knew she had to head back to that chasm. But as she got up she felt faint.

She took two exhausted steps forward, away from Pete... before she fell into blackness, and only heard a voice call in panic-

"-Judy Hopps!"


	5. Chapter 5

The darkness surrounded her.

All Judy could take in was bare sounds and sights of animals she knew disappearing around her and her world becoming an empty place.

It was when she saw the last animal, a red fox, disappear from her reach, that she shot up in panic.

She was in a gloomy dim small room. It was still dark outside but was a little brighter than it was earlier.

She had no idea where she was, and she started to panic quickly, as she realized she was on someone's bed.

"WHAT'S GOING ON!" she screamed, and a male rabbit quickly came in from the room next door to see her. It was not who she expected to see. That Pete rabbit from the chip shop.

"DID YOU KIDNAP ME?!"

That was all she screamed in terror. Pete's eyes popped opened and he shook his head immediately in response.

"No! No!" he quickly came over to her but she grabbed hold of her pepper spray in her pocket and when Pete saw her defensive move, he paused.

"You fainted." he said blankly, annoyed at this. "And you didn't have any id card on you, nor address of roommates. Me and Hector had to leave you at our place."

Judy's chest was beating up and down, still in a state of panic and Pete just watched her, acting a bit annoyed and slightly put off now from helping, when that's all he had done -was help.

Judy saw his annoyed stance and quickly calmed down. Before she froze. She quickly ravaged her pockets for her phone but paused when she saw Pete was holding out his phone, quite matter-of-factly.

"Remember, you threw yours to the wall."

"Oh... yeah..." Judy admitted without cause, and Pete added on.

"Then you fainted."

"Right..."

"I think you need to rest."

"What time is it?" Judy argued to know. Not meaning to sound rude, but desperate was all she was.

"It's six-thirty. Bedtime for me."

Judy froze up, freaking at the thought of having to share a bed with a stranger- especially him after she knew he had feelings for her. But Pete seemed to pick up on her resistance and said.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to sleep with you. I was going to wake you to see if you had got enough zzzs. That's what you did when you fainted at the shop, you snored."

"Oh..." Judy said slightly embarrassed, and grinned awkwardly.

"Yeah," Pete said with a kind smile, but was too exhausted to show romantic interest or feelings as all he really wanted now was her out of his bed.

"I get five hours before my next job starts. So, it was really nice seeing you again, but I have to hit the hay."

"I get it." Judy said quickly, seeming more replenished and awake now than hours ago. She must have had a lot of r.e.m sleep.

She hopped out of the bed, still in her clothes from last night, and Pete said to her as he flopped onto the mattress next.

"I have an old phone you can put your id card into. It will save you having to buy a new one. You know how to do it, right?"

"Me... oh, yeah..." Judy said quickly, but she wasn't really listening. She looked around the small flat, and saw a bedroom next door... which she suspected was his friend's Hectors. She peered into and saw a bunny sleeping half off the bed in an exaggerated messy stance.

She watched Pete snooze and drift off into a sleep. She smiled warmly at this, and how calm he seemed throughout everything. She left his room and went to the hall, only to remember that instant.

She had to get back to that chasm and explore that docking area.

But she realized a second later- She started work at eight. She couldn't go in but, not on the blackmail threat she had received. She needed to go to the scene of the crime. But she'd have to call in sick and get transport.

But she couldn't get public transport to that place!

She growled incessantly under her throat before she remembered like an elephant- That she had placed a speeding ticket on Pete's VAN!

She wasn't thinking straight, she knew she was being irrational. But she had to clear Nick's name. After she had gotten the spare phone she picked up the van keys that were on the bench and looked at them, worriedly.

She didn't know what to do. Take them and break the law, or not take them and either have to arrest her best friend or have herself put in hot water too with the footage leaked all over the cities.

She was desperate for some sort of answer. And just thought in a rushed second.

If I am really quick, I could get the van back in thirty minutes after he wakes up.

But even that was pushing it, then-

I'll leave him a note, telling him I borrowed it!

Stealing was out of the question, but borrowing sounded like burrowing, and that was what bunnies were famous for!

Perfect! She cheered in her half sleep depraved, half irrational head and she swiped the keys into her pocket. She left the apartment and saw the small van parked in the apartment block's parking area of the street.

She got behind the wheel and left to commute in the quiet morning roads.

She had a nervous smile on her face, as what she was doing she knew was wrong... but it was only to serve a right cause and no one would get hurt!

As soon as she hit the mountain forest district she, pounded on the accelerator as she neared the chasm and got out of the car in a hurry.

She looked down into the dark bottomless pit and swallowed. But she quickly pulled herself together and went to get a rope. Only to realize as she searched the van... she had forgotten to bring one.

She felt like such a fool! She felt ridiculous and pitiful in her attempts. She looked back and forth from the van to the chasm and knew what her only option was.

She was going to have to dive in and rock climb out.

She hated rock climbing, bad memories of how it took her the longest the master in police academy and also the most dangerous it was without a harness.

She only let the memories plague her for a second, before she decided that the diving part of the fall would be just as scary. It would probably kill her.

She did not think this plan through properly at all.

But she held firm to the brave thought. She had to get down there today.

She swallowed and readjusted her descent plan. She would climb until she saw water, then she would dive. At least then she would know the distance and could best adapt to the free fall.

She nodded her head determinedly. She grabbed hold to the sides of the rocky wall of the chasm and gulped again, getting really nervous- no matter how many times she tried to shake away the fear.

Like really?! What was she doing.

STOP COMING BACK, RATIONALITY! She yelled in her head as an order for her emotions to be at bay but they didn't care listen to her.

A body's feelings a very different from a brain's logic and mechanic-ism.

She silenced herself that instant and just nodded again, before starting her climb down.

The rocks on her paws were hard and dug deep into her soft skin pads. She ignored the pain, though her eyes nearly teared up when she slipped her bunny foot on a sharp piece of rock and sliced a small wound.

"AH!" She yelped, and looked down below her to see she was nearing the first glimpses of the pool of water below.

She shivered there, thinking that it was now or never to let go and fall. It had been twenty minutes and she had gone far enough. She pressed her two strong hind legs to the wall and bounced off it in a hard springy jump as she dived through the air and hit the cold water a minute later.

She saw in the dark murky world of the water that there were some weird large creatures swimming underneath her and she gargled opened her breath. She quickly rose to the top, breaking through the face of the water in a giant splash. She swam in haste to the docking area and looked to the dark rippling waves of the mysterious water and the strange scaly creatures she had seen.

From what she recognized of them, they looked like fish... a lower form of life that was mostly used for harvesting meat for the predators.

The society of the mammal world rarely liked to talk of the fact that predators still needed meat and it disgusted a lot of prey that they would result to eating fish, reptiles and birds.

The only response that was ever given to this by the carnivores was.

We'll die if we don't eat some form of meat.

The reply being, often by the ignorant on biology.

JUST EVOLVE!

That was one of the founding reasons there was such hostility towards the predator and prey in society. If there was ever a mass extinction of these less developed life forms, what would happen to the meat eaters?

Would they just die of starvation... or would lives have to be sacrificed.

She shivered as she thought of this and of Nick. He would never hurt her... but could she hurt him by not accepting his natural biological chemistry?

To eat meat...

Evolution... it may make some animals smarter... but could keep the rest of the animals of the world as only meat factories to feed the ones that found no other choice.

Why was she thinking so hard on this?

It didn't matter. She had seen fish... and now she knew they existed first hand. She looked up to see slight sunshine dip into the chasm, only the bare reaches of the rays hitting her face. Leaving mostly the bunny in shadows among other things.

She turned and looked at her surroundings. The boats and nets. She saw that lights were still turned on in the distance, and that there were candle lamps put high up on the posts to show the way for the inhabitants of this strange world.

She shuddered, feeling the presence of mystery and awe at this strange location quickly change to fear and danger as she got deeper into the harbour and reached solid land. She looked before her and saw a town. And in that town she saw one animal that was known to be sadistic and cruel.

A cat.

But one shouldn't hold prejudice, she knew that... and she approached the male cat as he lounged on the a wooden beach chair.

"Excuse me, sir."

The cat had his eyes closed, sleeping and purring as he slept. He was a slim feline, and unlike his larger cousins up in the outer world, he was indifferent and lethargic to her question.

"Sir."

"What is it, Lucy...?" he whined, turning over on his slender side. He obviously was still half asleep.

Judy just thumped her foot. It was known cats weren't great at socialising, but still.

"Sir. I am a police officer."

The cat quickly turned to looked at her. She tensed when she saw his yellow eyes, and how he was watching her with expanded pupils in interest.

"An officer, ay?" He said back slowly. He didn't sound curious, just intrigued.

"Where's your badge then...?"

"I er..." Judy began, and suddenly realized, she wasn't wearing one.

"And also," the cat continued, gazing at her with a sneaky grin, "Where's your uniform?"

"Oh carrot sticks..." Judy just peeped, and the cat just grinned larger.

"Looks like you are on the wrong part of town, little bunny." he said, his voice laced with cruel fake kindness. "And normally, I would listen to a police officer... but to an unarmed little prey critter like yourself...? That's a whole other story."

Judy didn't give herself enough time to think, she just turned in a ready haste to dash back to the dock but felt claws dig into her as she was slammed into the ground, and was tossed over onto her back in almost a playful way as the black cat said to her with a smile.

"Looks like I have myself a toy for a little while..."

He licked her sickingly on the cheek and Judy trembled under him, her back still in agony by the deep cuts.

"Oh... fun..."


	6. Chapter 6

Judy looked back and forth for an escape, but all that plagued her mind was how bloody exhausted she was. She swallowed as she looked up at the cat and she saw his glistening yellow eyes.

"One, Two..." he whispered menacingly, plucking two claws up as he trailed them along her jaw and she watched him in terror. Her chuckled before his arm whipped up into the air for the final blow at her stomach when suddenly.

"HEY!"

The cat looked up quickly, and just saw red eyes glare at him in the distance. These eyes not being natural... no, they were demonic.

He screeched, his back arching as he ran away in a desperate scutter, chased by animals on all fours.

Judy leant up in pain from her cut and just watched the cat being chased away by what looked like animals of the canine family.

Could it be... Night Howlers?

The wolves that worked for the government- again trying to cover up a conspiracy. She couldn't tell but it sure seemed like it. And her suspicions soon turned out to be true as she turned her eyes upwards when she saw a thick big paw go before her eyes. Offering her a hand up.

A wolf's paw.

She stared up at it in haste to see the face and only saw one of a kind smiling elderly grey wolf.

"Wha- who-!" she cried suddenly in fear and he whispered to her softly.

"I'd be most quiet if I were you, around here." she looked at him frazzled and he pulled her up onto her legs, but she only stumbled forward in pain and he gave a soft chuckle. An almost pitying one.

"Are you okay, Miss?"

"I'm fine, sir. I was just interrogating that cat and he suddenly lashed at me."

"Interrogating a creature like that, in this part of town?"

"I'm a cop." Judy panted, and went to instinctively pull out her badge and but remembered with annoyance- "I'm just off duty."

"Then I believe something like that would be more called harassing."

"Harassing, me?!" she spat back in shock and pointed her furry thumb to her chest, saying. "He attacked me, like- like an- an-!"

"Animal...?" the wolf said back with a raised eyebrow and Judy just stared at him shocked at how calm he was being.

"We are more than just our biology!"

"Sure... but that doesn't mean we are more than our true selves. He wanted to kill you. You wanted to survive. He wanted blood..." the wolf said back calmly and continued "And he will get blood."

The wolf suddenly put two of his digits to his lips and gave out a whistle. In a couple of minutes time two large animals came bouncing back. They were wearing badly put together clothes and were on all fours.

Dogs.

Judy had only heard rumours about this mutated animal. And on their fur and clothes she saw only one thing.

Blood.

Red blood dripping from their lips.

"Good boys! Who are good boys!"

"We are! WE ARE!" The dogs just cawed in excitement and ran past the rabbit to the wolf. He quickly put a leash on their collars which had been obscured by the shadows. Judy watched in horror and confusion and only asked in a whisper to the wolf.

"Who are you?"

"Walter Alpha."

"What have you done to them...?"

"To my great great grandchildren?" He responded to her with a small smile and continued, "Made them better."

"Those are wolves?!" Judy rushed to ask and he nodded his head quickly with happiness.

"Yes... really... you ask too many questions, rabbit." he turned to to her and said. "Which is why you should come with me if you want answers."

"But- how-" Judy began but felt her gut rumble in fear. She felt she should restrain herself from following this wolf and his deformed children... but she was here on the docks... injured, weak... and with probably more wicked animals wanting to taste her meat.

She swallowed and just nodded her head steadily as she followed the wolf on into the blackness of the colder darker world.

X

Nick wasn't surprised when he didn't see Judy at work there that morning. He had been so cold to her... so insubstantially rejecting of her support and love... even though it was her romantic love he truly craved.

But when he stepped foot into the police station that day, all that Chief Bogo had to say to him was.

"What are you doing here, Wilde?"

"Doing my rounds?" he replied back, as if this shouldn't be a shocker to anyone and Bogo only replied to him.

"Not with that injury."

Nick only looked down to his arm that was in a sling as it was required for two weeks until his shoulder had recovered.

"Oh come on, Bogo."

"It's chief."

"Yeah, well you sure aren't acting like one if you don't put one of your best animals on the force."

"Watch it, Wilde. Just because you took one for the team, doesn't mean you're the best."

"Well second best if you discount Judy..."

"Now that you mention it." Bogo began, clearing his throat and looking at the fox with cautious concern, "Where is that rabbit?"

Nick didn't want to answer that. Part of the reason being, he believed he was the one that had caused her absence. He sighed and just shrugged his shoulder- with slight pain in one by that act.

"Don't know."

"Well get knowing. You're her partner. She has a location. Find her."

"I have a job to do." Nick said in a near growl and the chief just snorted air out his nostrils, saying back.

"That's your job. You're nothing without her Nick, and she's nothing without you."

Nick blinked his eyes slowly at the mention of that statement... yin and yang... though was he the darkness or the light?

With what his heart was telling him, probably the darkness in the forbidden lustful night.

"Nick."

He looked up and stopped his sad thinking as he turned to the officer and replied back, coldly.

"Yes sir."

"That's your occupation for the day. Missing animal. Hopps."

"Aye Aye..." Nick said bitterly and left the office. He left the station moments later but felt a sharp pin in his police pocket and put his paw in, looking at the card for bestiality support line again.

He hated himself at the moment. But how was he meant to find a speedy always on the go Judy when he couldn't even find his courage.

How love can truly ruin somebody, even before it has the chance to happen.

"Hey! Hey, um, sir!"

Nick looked up quickly when he saw Pete, the rabbit, hold his paw up in a rush to call to him. The rabbit ran across the road, getting beeps and honks by angry mammals and came to Nick, panting, when he finally caught him. Though to be honest, the fox wasn't trying to hide.

No, Nick had just be grinding his teeth as he watched the rabbit dash towards him, even more bitter that this guy still existed.

"Yes... er... what's your name again?"

"Pete... and yours?"

"Nick."

"Right... well your friend... IS CRAZY!"

Nick blinked surprised at that sudden outburst and just answered. "Excuse me?"

"Well, Judy... she... she STOLE MY VAN!"

"Doesn't sound like something she'd do."

"Well she stayed over last night and when I woke this morning my keys were-"

"She... what...?" Nick whispered. Everything seemed to slow down as he heard Pete continue on elaborating the events of last night and the fox finally readjusted his ears back to the situation as he listened to the rabbit finish.

"-And now it's gone! She's a cop right? You guys are cops, right?"

"We're the unconventional ones." Nick said back barely and had to ask again. "Why was she at your place... she... she barely knows you."

"Well she slept over because she fainted, and she had no contacts."

"Why was she with YOU to begin with?!"

"Well- she was- uh-"

"Whatever. If you have a case, go into the station and file it. I'm off duty."

"But she's gone missing completely!"

"And so will you if you don't keep your trap shut."

Pete just looked at him bewildered as Nick walked away in hatred. The rabbit felt a sudden surge of anger fume through him too at that moment and ran up to the fox yelling.

"Listen, I know from little experience with Judy that she's unpredictable and will do anything for the greater good." he took a breath in as he tried to stop Nick in his angry steps but the fox just tried to storm past him. "I know she didn't steal my van for no reason. Look, she got a call last night... a ransom, I think."

"Who would ransom Judy?!" Nick just yelled and Pete glared at him impatient that he wouldn't stop and listen.

"I don't know, but it was obviously someone who had something to gain and nothing to lose. She got a text that said, three days, and she freaked!"

"Three days?!" Nick suddenly screamed, finally breaking and just scorched his eyes into Pete's. "She slept with you and you're telling me she got a text that said flipping 'three days!' Are you so inconceivably stupid! She slept with you over me! YOU! LEAVE!"

Pete could honestly feel his heart thudding in exhilaration. He was scared... terrified... of what he heard... of what he saw. flashing teeth, growling breath, killer eyes.

"Right..." Pete said quietly, just looking at Nick in quiet pain. He stepped aside timidly and only muttered. "And I thought you were her friend."

Nick didn't care... because all he noticed was how Pete had looked at him the same way Judy had the day when he questioned her friendship.

"Do you think that I could go SAVAGE?"

Whether Judy believed it or not... all rabbits had that inner fear of him... of foxes... of what he was... he couldn't change.

He shouldn't have to change.

But he had wanted to make her change her instinctive inner fear of him so he could have her.

But maybe it would never happened. She had slept with another rabbit within only days of meeting him. She didn't want love like he had thought... she just wanted...

Lust.

He felt tears trickle down his cheeks, and he wiped them with his paws so that the animals walking towards him on the sidewalk wouldn't judge... that he wouldn't have be seen as a public abomination.

No one cries with you. You always cry alone.

This city, in all its advances and positive movements... was just as crappy as it was before.

X

Judy found herself in a large dining room. It was shadowy and dark, light from the outside upper world barely reaching these walls. There was only ambience from the lamps that stood at every corner of the room.

Judy looked down to her cup of tea she had been spying from the corner of her eye and knew she was going to break soon. She was so thirsty.

"Thirsty, Miss Hopps?"

She looked across to Walter and smiled timidly. She didn't know how exactly to answer but said back quietly.

"Please... can you just tell me what you know."

"First you tell me what you know."

She bit her lip, worried. She knew in her gut she couldn't trust this wolf. Something about his coolness to everything caused her fear. But she felt she had no choice.

"Five primates from the mountain forest district have gone missing. I've been giving the job to find them. I decided to check the waters of the chasm for any evidence... and I found all this."

"But those primates went missing five years ago, Miss Hopps."

"Yes. But the case needed to be solved."

"Me thinks one believes too much in her own abilities." Walter said with a small chuckle and Judy grit her teeth in slight fury.

"Those families have a right to know what happened to their loved ones."

"Yes... that would be nice..." Walter said quietly, glinting his eyes up at her and smiling so softly. It was so blood curdling to her. He finally continued. "And I guess your family will too one day also want the right to know what happened to you."

Judy froze on her seat, and looked at him in terror, gripping the sides of her chair and Walter just said to her with a kind smile.

"Now drink your tea, Judy Hopps."


	7. Chapter 7

She never drank the tea.

That however didn't stop Walter Alpha from grabbing her by her ears and throwing her minutes later into a cage.

Like, like an animal!

She had pained tears in her eyes as he carried her as if she was a pet down to an even darker cellar. However, this cellar was not like others... no, this one had many doors, many cages of dogs barking in them- their red eyes glowing when light from his torch shone on them.

"YOU KEEP YOUR GRANDCHILDREN IN THE DARKNESS?!" Judy yelled at him, horrified and he just sighed. He replied back quietly.

"Only the one's that can't speak."

Urgh! It disgusted her how he had mutated his lineage this way. What type of creature was he?

A monster! That's what!

Finally he placed her cage in front of a giant door. She looked up to see she could barely even reach the handle if she were on her two feet, let alone in a cage.

"You wanted to know what became of apes?" Walter said to Judy quietly, and lifted the cage to the glass window of the door.

She peered through it, still shivering herself from her hunger and injuries. She could only see a white room with play things in it... toys and play sets and she blinked her eyes, confused.

"What?" She said, and yelled, looking at him in terrified tears. "YOU TURNED THEM INTO TOYS?!"

"Brain the size of a pea..." Walter uttered to himself and Judy shut her mouth, her eyebrows lowering as she glared at him, angrily.

"What did you do to them!"

"Meet... their children..." Walter only replied. He opened the door and placed Judy's cage in the room. She spun around in her cage to see where he had gone, but the door was locked split seconds later. She spun back around, dashing her eyes this way and that- trying to catch the apes... or their "children" as Walter had put it.

She suddenly heard a giggle, as she saw weird furless creatures with wide happy eyes and smooth skin run up to her cage in excitement.

"Looky!" the first creature said as he picked up her cage, she pressed up against the opposite side of her confines, terrified. This animal had never been in any of her school animal books.

"Bunny! Bunny!" the female young one said in delight, clapping her hands and quickly pushed the male one away. She opened the cage and grabbed Judy, bringing her out.

Judy- in a state of pure animal instinct- bit the girl creature and jumped away. She quickly analysed the room to see that it was pretty big. With beds and other doors in the walls which must lead to other rooms.

"What are they?"

She whispered this to herself, as she jumped up onto the monitor camera, to keep out of their reach... but the young creatures just cried that she had got away.

"They... Miss Judy Hopps." Walter said to her from the microphone which was hidden somewhere in the room.

"...are humans."

X

The sun had risen and set that day over the city of Zootopia without a sign of Judy Hopps.

Nick sat up on his bed in his room, the only light coming from the street lamps outside in through his window. He just looked at the card and heard the words Pete had said in his head.

I thought you were her friend

I thought she was mine, Nick just thought in his head sadly and took a breath out. His arm still hurt even with the bandages. He picked up his mobile and rang the contact number on the card he had been avoiding. It was picked up within a few seconds, and a happy familiar voice was on the other side.

"Hello, welcome to Bestiality support line! How may I help you?"

"Benjamin?!" Nick said straight out, recognising the cheetah's voice in a second. Benjamin squeaked on the other side before the cheetah replied.

"Nick? You have bestiality too? OH MY GOSH!"

"I need to go now..." Nick said quickly about to hang up, but Benjamin begged him, desperately.

"No, don't go! Talk! This must've been really hard for you to come out with. It takes a lot of courage to realize you're born with a different sexuality."

"Uh huh..." Nick said, clearing his throat nervously, as he tugged his tie and looked at the time on his digital clock. "Ben, Ben... Benjamin, Ben... I really don't feel comfortable talking to you about this... I just. I don't want to be this way."

"But you are. And it's a part of who you are..." the compassionate cheetah said back with a kind voice. Nick looked his eyes down to the ground, feeling bad at that truth.

"Hey... have you ever met any other animals like you?"

"What do you mean?" Nick asked, as that seemed almost an impossibility to him, and Benjamin continued.

"Like, you didn't even know I also had other species attraction, and I work just across the hall from you. There's this night club just down town... it's in an alleyway. A lot of animals like us go there. Maybe you should check it out?"

"And what if someone sees me heading there? What if I get disapproving eyes, or worse... attacked?"

"And what if you never find what you're looking for, by remaining still and never trying?"

Nick remained stiff in himself after Clawhauser had said that. He closed his eyes sadly, acknowledging that truth.

"Come on, Nick...?" Benjamin said to him with a little push in his voice, "What do you have to lose?"

Nick whispered to himself, his eyes growing watery.

"Judy..."

"Well, you don't have to try it tonight- or even ever if you don't want." Clawhauser said, not hearing what Nick had said just then, "I can listen to your problems all night. Say, do you want to donate?"

Nick's eyes blinked opened wider just then and he said to the cheetah, quickly.

"Clawhauser... what are the directions to that night club?"

All he heard in return was a delighted squee.

X

Judy had fallen asleep after so many hours of exhaustion. She was still on the camera monitor, her body laid flat on it as she slept like a dead weight. Suddenly the camera moved slightly, observing another part of the room and she slipped off, falling through the air towards the quickly approaching hard ground.

She blinked opened her eyes the minute she felt the rush of air collide against her fur, and sprung her feet ready for a landing. She landed on the ground in a thump, her paws just steadying her back onto her legs and she looked around the room cautiously. Exhausted.

She took a step forward, but wavered a bit, nearly collapsing asleep onto the ground again but she hissed to herself quickly.

"Stop, stop it, Judy! Focus!"

She felt like she had only gotten a few hours sleep. She looked around the large room, seeing the beds for the young 'humans', and just cautiously crept around the area. She did big hops up to the glass windows of the doors, to see laboratory equipment was on the other side of some.

And in some, test tubes in dim rooms that held foetuses.

Judy gasped. She landed back to the floor, before pressing up against the wall and whispering to herself.

"This wolf is mad..."

Suddenly she heard a song playing loudly. She froze, freaking out, as she felt a vibrating in her pocket and dug her paw in... just to pull out the phone she had borrowed from Pete.

Her eyes widened. How could she have forgotten she HAD this!

She answered the call quickly and the voice on the other side said sinisterly.

"Have you arrested him yet?"

Judy just became speechless. Wait... Walter wasn't the blackmailer?

"You aren't... Walter Alpha...?" Judy just peeped out, so lost and confused and the voice just said back, puzzled.

"Who?"

"A mad scientist?"

"A day and a half left, Judy!" the voice spat back furiously and Judy said back in a teary rush.

"But Nick never killed the monkeys!"

"Apes, Judy... learn the difference!" the voice just shouted frustrated, but continued slowly, a cruel happiness hidden in its voice. "Not that anyone will believe you with no evidence."

Before Judy could reply, the line went dead and she just gripped the mobile hard in frustration. WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON!?

She needed someone to find her, rescue her from her capture.

She looked at her phone slowly, seeing the battery was almost dead. She needed to call him... he was the only one who she could count on.

X

Nick heard his phone dialling as he waited in line for the club. He felt bad inside, like he was cheating on his love for Judy by looking for an escape... of what little love there was there between the two.

None.

He could still hear his phone ringing and took it out of his pocket, seeing the number.

Hers.

Nick swallowed, not knowing what he should do. At least she was alright, if she was ringing him. He knew he should've answered... but he just couldn't hear her voice while he was trying to escape the ever pressing pain she gave him.

He rejected the call.

X

Judy froze when the phone started beeping. He had not answered. Her eyes just looked into the emptiness... her heart beating in agonising pain.

He never answered.

She decided to ring the emergency number instead, but as she pressed the numbers- the phone died.

Her eyes went wide.

"No, no!" she begged, looking at the phone and trying to make it work again by shaking it about.

"Work, damn it! Work!"

But it wouldn't. She was trapped.

Alone... forgotten...

Trapped.

X

The lights were flashing purple, blue and white. The dance floor catered to all different types of mammals, from the very small to the very tall.

Nick stood at the entrance of the club, looking around at all the animals that had his same attraction. And it made him feel really nervous.

He saw a female leopard walk by him, winking as she sauntered off into the crowds of partying animals, and Nick just cleared his throat. He adjusted his tie.

He felt so out of place here, nightclubs had never been his scene. He saw the bar in the distance and walked slowly over to it, raising his paw to call over the bar animal.

A big heavy elephant came over to him, and instinctively all that went through Nick's head was all the times he had been discriminated by them. Granted, he had caused part of it, though.

"What can I do ya for, fella?"

Nick blinked opened his eyes surprised at the southern happy drawl. He cleared his throat and uttered back nervously.

"Just a brandy.. please..."

"Would you like a Foxtail?" The elephant laughed cheerily, shaking his head in amusement as he poured out the brandy and added to Nick before he gave him his drink. "Get it? FOX-TAIL!?"

"Yes." Nick said with gritted teeth, he tried to take his drink but the elephant was holding it still, polishing the glass and Nick said in despise. "Very CLEVER..."

"Aw shucks! Thanks, foxy!"

The elephant handed him his drink, winking at him, and Nick swiped it out of the elephant's hold the second he got it, still irritated.

"A lot of pretty ladies here tonight!" The elephant just shouted, the music blaring and Nick just tried to cover his ears from the abrasive yell, "And guys too! If that's what you're INTO!"

Nick growled under his breath, taking a big sip out of his glass. The elephant was called over suddenly to the other side of the bar, and all Nick could hear was big thumping as the large mammal ran off.

"Friendly... fellow..." Nick had to admit to himself, though felt sick from the knelling shouting he just then had to be put through, and he heard a giggle.

He looked to the side of him seeing her-

Judy-

He blinked his eyes a second later, realising it wasn't her... but a female pretty hare.

"Hi," The hare said waving at him, friendly. Nick gave an awkward wave back. He smiled nervously and uttered.

"You didn't just... witness all that? Did you?"

"Yeah, it was kinda hard for anyone not to."

"Oh goody." Nick said back sarcastically and the hare giggled again. Nick looked down to her paw confused as she handed it out to him, and said.

"I'm Clara."

"Nick Wilde."

"MPD, yeah I recognise that mug." she said with a wink and Nick let a peep of a smile come out of him. First the elephant winking at him, then Clara... he was on fire tonight.

Was that a good thing?

"Actually, I'm drinking out of a glass." Nick said to her, holding up his brandy and she gave a wryly grin, saying to him with a raised sly eyebrow.

"Wow, do you ever think about going professional with your jokes?"

"Believe me, it was much more cleverer than Mr Elephants over there."

The two looked over to see the elephant saying to his latest customer, "And that's when I told them, 'I ate it two days ago!'"

They could hear the elephant burst into laughter and Nick looked back at Clara, himself grinning cockily, and the hare just rolled her eyes.

"Okay, yeah... your joke was better."

"Thank you." Nick just said mannerly back. He took another small drink of his brandy. Clara had a carrot cocktail as her drink and she took a sip too. She smiled with warm eyes into his and Nick felt a hotness in his stomach.

Was it the brandy...?

Or was it her...?


	8. Chapter 8

Judy's head leant up against the wall. She had fallen asleep once more, time slipping by quickly and when she opened her eyes again, it was because of a white light piercing into them.

"W-who's there...?" she moaned sleepily. She was too hungry to get up, too tired from her sudden awakening to do anything.

She saw a shadowy figure approach her and she rubbed her eyes, finally standing up about to run away, but dropped to the ground from hunger and heard the voice of the figure say.

"Judy... one such as yourself... should eat."

Walter Alpha.

And that food he promised... probably poison.

She glared up at him from her fallen position. But felt her stomach cramping. She looked at the beds in the darkness, and how the white light was coming from an open door.

She had to give up. She would die if she didn't eat soon.

"Fine..." she hissed.

XXX

They sat in a cold desolating room, a place Judy hated as much as the rest of the house. She eyed her food on the table. She didn't trust it, but she felt like crying from her starving body.

Walter stood over her, waiting for her to eat... but she said.

"You try it first..."

"Very well... you rabbits are all the same." He said to himself as he took a bite of the large sandwich and placed it back on the plate. "Jumpy over everything."

"Is that meant to be a joke...?" Judy said in a weak voice and watched as he sat down just away from her, confident that she couldn't escape even with her weak body.

She sighed, and picked up one of the big slices. She took a bite... it was chutney and cheese in-between the bread.

"Tell me..." she said, after she swallowed a few bites. Walter was drinking from a mug, what looked like a hot beverage by the steam rising out of it. "Why did you do all this...?"

"You know... you remind me of her." Walter said, not really listening and Judy looked at him, confused. Walter looked up at her again, away from his cup, and continued with a bare whiff of a smile. "My wife..."

"She wanted children... but she couldn't bear. So I gave her them my way, with science and our genes."

Judy shook her head in horror, but took another bite out of her sandwich... needing to eat.

"But why the apes?" She asked, swallowing again, her paws shaking as they held the slice. Walter huffed a weak laugh, and looked at her.

"Well... my children... each generation I created... became more dependent. I needed someone to take care of them when I was gone. The apes were just a lucky coincident... finding them sleepwalking near the chasm. But they wouldn't look after them... they were... selfish."

"They had FAMILIES!" Judy screamed at him and he sighed.

"I couldn't let them go... them knowing what they knew... so I broke down their genetics... and harvested them to create a creature that would care. I called it Man."

Walter looked at Judy with a kind smile, though sadness was still hidden in it.

"Dog's best friend."

"Urgh..." Judy felt slip out of her mouth. Yet in a sick twisted way... she felt she understood his logic. Which scared her even more.

"There's no need to be afraid of them." Walter continued, sipping his tea, and Judy moved onto her second slice reluctantly.

"They are only children at the moment."

"But, Walter..." Judy begged almost, looking at him as she placed the slice down again and slammed her paws to the table in desperation. "Look how your own 'children' turned out! They kill without second thought!"

"How could I ever expect you to understand..." Walter said back sadly, and looked to the picture on the wall. Judy looked to it too, seeing a young female wolf in it.

"You're just like her, you know..." He said quietly and Judy turned her eyes cautiously back to him.

What did he mean by those statements... where was she now anyway?

"She just didn't know how to handle our children properly..."

Judy's eyes opened wide, her mouth dropping in a gasp. She looked back at Walter, as he sipped his beverage, solemnly.

Had his wife been... killed...?

X

His eyes felt so drowsy as he woke that early morning... in a bed that wasn't his own.

Nick froze up, the minute consciousness dawned on him and jumped up on the messy bed, realising quickly.

"Oh no..."

He looked beside him to see there wasn't anybody there though, but heard singing of a female's voice in the shower in the room next door.

Nick pulled an urgent face. What had he done...? He knew he had done something as he wasn't wearing any clothes... and he knew who that something was.

Suddenly images of the night before hand flashed in his eyes. The blue and purple lights, the alcohol, the sweet taste of lips.

He quickly hurried out of the bed as he looked around the floor for his clothes, and only saw Clara coming out of the shower with a towel on.

"Hey, officer..." she said with a wink and did a small sultry flash of her thigh that had been hidden behind her towel. Nick blushed madly at the sight, feeling more devastated in himself, "Why are you off so soon?"

"I have w-work..." Nick stumbled to get out and she pulled him an unconvinced look. She watched as he began putting on his pants, but couldn't help catch another gaze at her curves hidden in the towel and he had to ask, "Look, I'm not looking for anything..."

"Says the guy who couldn't get enough of me last night?" Clara said back with a roll of her eyes. Nick frowned.

"Hey, I just had a little too much to drink..."

Clara gasped shocked, and said to him. "You had two brandies, Nick."

"Damn, I'm a light weight..." he uttered to himself and went to put on his shirt, but got a piercing pain in his shoulder from his quick snappy movements. He groaned from the aching in his arm.

"So I guess we won't be in touch, then?" Clara asked straight out, tapping her foot to the ground and Nick was reminded of Judy when she did that.

His heart seemed to be on fire then at the thought of her... of Judy. He loved her so much. And instead of taking her call last night to talk and make up... he had just went for a hare that looked so much like her, the rebound was so obvious it sickened even him.

"I'm sorry... but... I'm..."

"Oh my God." Clara said just then, and her towel dropped off her as she took this in. Nick's eyes opened wide as he stared at her attractive body without control. "You have a girlfriend... I feel like such a effing fool!"

"No... I don't." Nick said quickly, tying his tie and coming over to her, picking up her towel and holding it out to her with his two paw fingers awkwardly. "She doesn't... love me back..."

"Oh, so this is just rebound sex?" Clara had to ask and Nick's ears dropped down worried. Before the hare just said with a shrug of her shoulders, "Well, you're missing out on a great catch. But I understand... It's happened to me too... before."

Clara sighed, as old memories played in her mind of an old fling. She saw Nick look at her, lost, and she gave a soft laugh, adding.

"Do you need a lift back to your place?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'm feeling more awkward about this than you."

"Aww." Clara said, putting her paw up to his cheek and squeezing it, an adorable smile on her lips. "You are so cute... shame you don't want to get coffee sometime."

"I really have to go..." Nick just said and headed out of the room to the exit. All he could feel was his heart beating in panicky thumps against his chest. Had he really done this? Had he just given up on Judy without even admitting to her straight out his feelings.

He stood in the elevator of the apartment block as it descended down and just felt like a lesser fox inside.

The worse part about it was that he couldn't even remember the sex.

X

When he arrived at the impound lot early that morning, Pete jumped in panic, seeing his van had been found. But with no Judy Hopps found with it.

He ran over to it, opening the door and checking inside and out. A rhino was just writing up a bill beside the small van. Pete searched his whole vehicle for any clues of anything stolen or missing and when he finally took a breath out in relief, the rhino said.

"So that'll be hundred for bringing it in."

Pete's eyes broke open in horror. He couldn't afford that! He quickly jumped out of the van and looked at the rhino in panic, saying.

"One hundred?! But it was stolen? Where is she?! She owes me an explanation!"

"Sorry, I just do the towing." The rhino said back bored, his voice gruff and he spit on the ground with a sneer. Pete moved back from him in a few steps, disgusted.

"Well, why SO much! I've seen things been towed from all over town and it's never been more than seventy!"

"Yours was all the way outside of town. Beside the chasm outside the mountain forest district."

"What...?" Pete said in disbelief. He put his paw up to his chin, thinking this over quickly. He took steps back and forth, wondering why in the heck would Judy Hopps go out that far? What was she doing on the side of highway near the cliffs? It just seemed very suss.

It was sunny that morning, hot too, in the part of town Pete was. The impound lot was dusty with shrubs popping up now and then, as it was situated in the wild west terrain.

Finally Pete glared up at the rhino, a bit too brave for such a little rabbit and demanded.

"Judy Hopps wasn't seen with it? Does no one care that a police officer is acting so damn bizarre!?"

"Look." The rhino only uttered with a sigh, he was getting tired now from this bunny's questions he honestly didn't give a damn about. "Take it up with the police. Now are you gonna pick it up or not? Each day it's in here costs another twenty."

Pete growled under his breath furiously and took out his wallet. He handed the rhino the money, the big guy just counting it slowly with his bulky grey fingers. Pete tapped his foot impatiently for the rhino to be done and when the tow truck driver was finished his estimation of the money, he did a big grin down at the bunny.

"Nice doing business with ya."

"Yeah." Pete said bitterly, and jumped into his van, getting the gears in check. He waited there frustrated as he couldn't find any keys but the rhino bent down and handed it to him with a grin.

"You'll need these."

"Geeze... thanks..." Pete said quietly, and took them with a snap of his paw. He turned on the van's ignition but blinked, just as he was about to drive off, realizing something.

He shouted up from his van, to the rhino.

"Where were the keys?"

"They were found in the key hole for the ignition, why?"

Pete quickly analysed this with his bunny brain, and knew something was up no matter how much everyone's nonchalantness to the problem seemed.

He pressed his foot hard down on the accelerator and drove out of the impound lot onto a highway just outside the city.

He was going to check out those cliffs and chasm... he was going to get some answers from the one animal that he knew he would.

Judy Hopps.

X

As Walter led Judy back to her hostage holding cell, the rabbit tried to slow him down. She wanted to know more of this wolf... of his twisted mind. And she also needed time to think of an escape.

Till as if by a miracle, she spotted it.

She spotted her escape.

A window was up on the ceiling, that let out a faint light from a lamp outside and she swallowed. Walter seemed to have a sick twisted mind if he thought that now that she understood his logic that she would stay. He had not grabbed her to bring her back to her cell, he had let her walk beside him.

She reminded him of his wife.

She did not want to die like his wife.

"Walter..." Judy said, slowing down her walk a little but he slowed down too... he was just behind her waiting for her to carry on forward.

"Yes, Judy...?"

"I can get protection for your creations..." She said that word in a sickened way, and he heard her disgust. His heart ached at how the world couldn't see how beautiful his children were.

"I can get protection for your children..." Judy continued, her voice sore and quiet. He shook his head, laughing a weak laugh.

"Oh you see, you silly rabbit. The humans will grow up and look after them. My lineage will go on."

"Walter!" Judy said in an angry shout, and startled him at that. She quickly glanced up at the window. She was going too far past it. Her energy was high from her meal from an hour ago and she begged him, lying to herself that helping him was more important than escape. "You have to let them be taken care of by professionals!"

Walter lowered his eyebrows slowly, looking at her with fury. He spat back. "They are more than this world deserves!"

He suddenly tore his huge paw forward, trying to swipe her in the face- but Judy gasped, her reflexes instant and she jumped on his paw- jumping on his head before reaching the chandelier.

He opened his mouth, rage pounding through his veins, as he tried to hit the chandelier with his jumps. His paws whipped back and forth, making it shake around and Judy felt her ever pounding heart speed up. She looked at the window and knew she couldn't make the jump. She needed the chandelier to be rocked closer.

When Walter's paw lunged at her suddenly, she kicked off it, the chandelier flying forward and she sprung from it with all her might. She hit the window sill with her body being lunged forward on the cement in pain, and she quickly climbed up it, opening it up.

"JUDY! PLEASE DON'T GO!" Walter screamed at her, his eyes in tears and she just looked back at him, saying in a fearful yell.

"You and your children need help Walter! And I'm going to get it for you!"

"NO!" He howled as she ducked through the window and ran out to the streets.

Walter ran past his dogs in their cages barking, his dogs that could talk following him happily with wagging tails.

He opened the humans' room and passed the playing children as he went to his control panel in the back room. The panel that controlled all the cameras and electronics in the house.

He felt a tear slip down his cheek as he thought of his wife... his life... all that he had created to be given away to animals that didn't understand. That didn't want to understand.

He thought he could trust her... he thought she would stay.

He suddenly grabbed a gasoline case that he always kept in case this day would come. And poured it over the controls. Lighting a match.

Judy ran with all her might, her feet slamming to the ground as she headed for the pier when all of a sudden she was thrown into the air.

Explosions blew up from all around the dark town, starting from Walter's home in the distance and blowing up all surrounding buildings.

Judy landed in the water, her eyes peering out from underneath the skin of it as she saw red hellish lights turn orange and yellow like fire.

She blasted her head out of the water in a gasp, looking out to the burning town... her head shaking, her lips quivering, her heart breaking.

N-no!

"NO! NO! NO!" She begged, watching as fire lit up the darkness and what was left... a burning hidden city.

"NOOO!" She cried. All those animals... all those dogs, humans... Walter... g-gone!

She shook her head in denial. She didn't cause this! She didn't! SHE DIDN'T! She swam away into the darkness, the light of the upper world shining down just barely on her.

She couldn't cry... she had to survive!

She had to survive...


	9. Chapter 9

As she reached her paw to the ledge of the cliff, Judy almost felt she couldn't climb anymore. She had climbed for an hour and a half. Her body dying again from starvation. But the torment, the torture of what she had done was still deeply cutting into her very being.

She finally pulled herself up onto the ledge, panting in exhaustion. And what did she do the moment she was up there again on the highway, panting and hoping each breath wouldn't be the last?

She cried.

She. Cried.

Tears toppled down her face, as she curled up into a ball and just cried with nothing else in her but pain and regret.

She had caused it... she had c-caused it!

All those lives, gone... all those animals down below... disintegrated... dead. She was meant to help animals. But she had just destroyed thousands of lives.

What was she? She begged to ask herself as she lay on the ground, her voice choked and her words not able to come out. What type of creature was she now?

A murderer.

Their blood was on her paws... her curiosity and determination had killed.

She just lay there, dribbling out incoherent words, until in the distance she saw a light flashing. In was afternoon now in the day, around six o clock, and the sun was setting an orange light across the cliffs.

She didn't care what the light was. If it was a car she deserved to get hit and killed. She was public enemy number one. She was the true savage beast.

She didn't watch. The lights appeared to belong to a van. She only lay there cold and alone, as it pulled up next to her.

"Judy..."

She heard that kind voice but shut her eyes, tears only streaming down her cheeks, and she felt Pete rock her back upright into a sitting position as the male rabbit begged.

"Judy... why did you take my van? What was that text about? What is going on?"

"It's all over..." Judy said, her heart quaking as she thought of the one she had tried to do this all for. Nick... the footage was going to be shown. It was going to get out the wrong truth. He never killed those apes. He was innocent and now his evidence was gone... countless lives gone.

"What's over?" Pete asked, helping her up, and she stumbled forward weakly. Her arm slung around his neck as he brought her over the van and placed her in the passenger seat.

She sat there, her face blank. Her mind completely numb and Pete started up the car. He asked.

"What did Nick do? Why do you have to arrest him?"

He had still remembered the text. Judy just said in a faint dead voice.

"All he did was sell under the counter drugs to some primates. It was Walter Alpha who took their lives."

"What?"

"It's all gone... he destroyed it all..." Judy whispered in utter loss. "Because of me... b-because of me."

"You tried to prove Nick innocent." Pete said to her, quickly. He looked at her then back at the highway as he drove back to the city and continued. "You were the hero."

"I am the villain!" Judy just cried, and slammed her fists into the dashboard, tears splashing down her face. "Now, there's no hope... this is the last day. The third day."

"I just..." Judy began, swallowing, as her voice was shaky and choked up. "I-Just-Want-To-Tell-Him-He-Is-Innocent"

"Do you want me to take you to his apartment?"

"He will be working city central t-tonight..."

"Oh ice-cream nuts..." Pete said. That part of the city had the most screens.

X

Everything began to go in very slow motion for Judy. It was nine o clock when she reached the city centre.

She got out of the van, and Pete told her he had to find a parking spot.

Judy looked around for her best friend and finally saw him. Patrolling the streets with his sunglasses on, and his injured arm in a sling. He was just a few side streets away in the distance and Judy began to walk his direction. Her eyes too tired to get out anymore tears. Though she would cry for him all night if she could.

She approached Nick from behind and tapped his shoulder. The fox turned around, and his eyes gazed at her. His also in pain at all that he had done.

"Judy..." he said. His voice was a little shaken and she only collapsed in his arms, hugging him so tightly.

Nick froze... he was so confused. He hadn't seen her in two days, and after that argument he thought she wouldn't want to talk to him for at least a week. But here she was, hugging him... and he slowly wrapped his arms around her, so lost.

"What's wrong."

"You never did anything..." Judy whimpered into his chest, and he looked at her confused.

"What are you talking about, Baby Cakes?" He asked with a warm voice. Though the one night stand from only a night ago went through his mind... and he knew he had done something... something so untrue to himself.

He had to tell her.

"Judy... please don't cry."

He could feel her tears soaking into his police uniform and the rabbit just looked up at him, her violet eyes begging.

"Nick, listen to me... you never killed those monkeys. You're innocent."

"How do you know?"

He suddenly saw the pure pain in her eyes, the utter truth of all she had been through staring right through to his soul and he swallowed.

"I'm so sorry, Nick..." Judy just whispered and hugged him tighter.

Suddenly the screens on the buildings started to flicker. Judy closed her eyes... the time had come.

Animals looked up at the giant screens confused, only to see moments later, video footage being played of Nick and Judy at the chasm.

"Mr Hunts was on sleeping tablets, not 'No more scary Nightmare tablets.'"

Nick turned his eyes away from Judy, as he heard his voice on the speakers belonging to the city, and he let go of her lost. He watched as he saw his recorded self talk, his eyes widening in horror.

"Some side affects included drowsiness, loss of concentration... and sleep walking."

"What are you saying?" Judy, on the screen, said and Nick continued.

"I think Mr Hunts... shared the tablets around with some primates... and the unlucky ones... slept walked off into this chasm."

All the animals watched in shock and disbelief as the scene played out.

"I'm sorry, Judy... I was just... well... after sales."

"That can't be it."

The animals watched on screen how intimate the predator and prey were to each other, and the words Judy whispered to him.

"Nick, I don't believe you killed them."

"I did, but."

"No... they aren't dead... they can't be."

"Judy..."

Judy looked at Nick as he watched the screen, his whole world crumbling around him... everything just being... taken.

"Get some choppers down there and I swear you will find skeletons."

"No. You are not dangerous... They are not dead. No one has to know... this case is..."

All the crowds watched to see what the rabbit on screen would say. The role model for the city, what her words would be. To condemn Nick, do the right thing... or to do something else.

Judy only cried on the street, trying to say to Nick again and again.

"You're innocent, Nick! I swear to God, you never k-killed t-them!"

"This case is dead..." The rabbit on screen said just then, and the crowd gasped. They looked at Nick, the obvious one in his police outfit... and then at Judy. The bunny swallowed in pain as her voice said loud on the screen for all to hear

"we solved it in two hours. Let's go back to the station."

Nick looked at Judy, his heart quaking, his body shivering in fear and helplessness. Judy looked back at him, and just.

Just cried...

X

The trial... what trial?

Once they had seen the video there was none... at least not a fair one.

Judy was not allowed to testify for Nick. She was a murder facilitator, and no matter how often she begged to be heard, no one would listen to her claim that it was a mad scientist wolf who had caused the explosion in the chasm and not some malfunction or gas leak.

Judy was in tears on the stand as she begged them to hear her truth. Her truth being the reality that seemed so fantastical, the jury only laughed.

And before any words could be uttered from Nick in his defence, he was cut off with the Judge hitting down his gavel and declaring him.

"GUILTY!"

Nick could hear the sound of prison bars sliding shut in his cell. A week had gone by since that footage had been leaked and he was now in the place he had been able to avoid for some many years,

Jail.

Did he deserve it..? With all the scams, hustles and illegal work... he guessed in a way he did.

But it still didn't stop his heart from hurting so much. He had never got to tell Judy that he loved her... and that no matter how much he tried to replace her or get away from her... she was the one.

And every other girl would just be her shadow.

He sat on his bed in his cell. He hated his orange prison clothes. They seemed so... official. So final.

He paused as he heard humming coming towards his bars, and looked up to see a woollen head bopping up and down as a sheep walked with happy skips toward him.

His eyes widened.

D-Dawn Bellwether...

"You..." Nick said in a gasp, seeing her in her orange outfit and feeling quite confident in herself.

"Nick Wilde!" She squealed in delight, and clapped her hand hoofs together with a bounce.

Suddenly, some more prisoners came out of their cells and Nick watched as a big hippo opened his cell door with a key on a jangling keyring.

"What- but how?!" He peeped, scampering up against his wall but was dragged out of his cell suddenly and thrown to the ground in the hall.

Dawn Bellwether brought out her little speaker device and spoke into it. "Three days, Judy! You have three days to arrest Nick! Or else the footage gets shown!"

Nick's eyes blinked opened wider, as he scurried to his feet and looked about scared. He was surrounded by large dangerous mammals on all sides.

"You see, Nick." Bellwether said with a little scrunched up teasing nose. "Money can do a lot of things, and saving money, even when it's tax payers, into private accounts can really pay off."

"You were the one...!" Nick said in a quaky accusing voice and Bellwether just squeaked a giggle out.

"Oh, yes... and really it wasn't that hard when you have guys working for you on the inside. Just needed one scene of you two messing up, and bam! Behind bars you go!"

"You are so... evil!"

"Revenge is JUST!" Bellwether said and waved her hoof hand at two of the prison mates, signalling for them to block Nick's escape. "It just sucks that Judy didn't make the cut, too!"

Nick looked around him frantically as he saw the prison inmates circle him slowly and he looked everywhere for some sort of escape.

"Boys and girls..." Bellwether said with a delighted dark smile. "Get him."

X

Nick Wilde had not been seen since that day.

Judy felt her heart quake and burn and question what had happened... why was he missing? WHAT HAD HAPPENED!

She sat in the park... a week gone by since the day of his disappearance and only ate her carrot chips with little emotion.

She had been taken off the force. She was unemployed with a criminal record now.

She was innocent.

Beside her sat Pete as he tried to cheer her up but nothing seemed to be working.

"Please smile, Judy." he begged her, hating seeing the girl he liked in so much torture over a fox who could be gone forever.

"Please just... know he's in a better place now."

She didn't reply. She put down the bag of carrot chips slowly and looked at Pete with quiet, dead eyes.

"I caused this all."

"No, You didn't, I swear."

"I did." Judy said in anger, and suddenly picked up the bag again, throwing it to the ground away in the distance. Pete watched his hard cooking labour go to waste and Judy just said to him with anger in her soul.

"I picked up that case! I wanted to solve it! I should have let it DIE! A-and now Nick is... N-Nick is..."

"Dead...?"

"No! Don't say that!" Judy yelled at him. She got up and started to storm away but Pete reached her side and pulled her back to face him. She just had pure self-loathing in her eyes, and he hated seeing her like this.

"You tried to prove him innocent. And I believe he didn't do it. But you have to accept that he's dea-"

"No." She said so coldly, the words never being said from her. She felt deep down... somewhere in her being that he must still be alive. He was sly, clever, quick witted. He could've escaped the prison... he wasn't... he wasn't... d-dead!

"Judy... I," Pete said, holding her chin up with his paw and she looked into his eyes with lost tearful ones of her own. "I... I love you... please don't let me see the girl I love torture herself when she t-tried."

Judy shut her eyes when he said the L word... when it didn't make her feel anything back. She felt him kiss her, to soothe her and she let it happen... feeling nothing either way.

She was still a murderer... and the day would come when she got her just deserts.

She didn't deserve Pete's love. She didn't want his love.

She pushed him away and said to him in an empty voice. "I don't love you, Pete..."

Pete felt his heart thud in quickening pain and he asked back, weakly. "Would you ever...?"

"I don't want to love you, Pete."

"I u-understand..." He said, his voice shaking as he tried to hold back his tears and Judy said to him... a sudden realisation dawning on her soul.

"I... I love Nick... I'm only in love with Nick..."

Pete froze, looking lost into Judy's own confused eyes as she said this. As it had finally dawned on her like the sun had risen at last on what she had tried to deny for so long.

"But he's a fox..."

"And I have loved him since I met him... since I knew him for him... and he is not dead."

"Judy." Pete just said in an upset sigh, his heart pounding but he knew he was too weak to fight this battle. He was going to give up... he had always known she loved Nick... he just wanted to deny it as much as Judy had.

"They never found his body." Judy said quickly, wiping her tears away and saying to Pete as she took a step back. "I know he's still out there... I feel him. I just know!"

"Please... this is only grasping at straws, Judy!"

"I'm not giving up." She said. She turned to leave as she whispered to herself in true belief, "I'm not giving up."


	10. Chapter 10

All he had seen was the kiss. Green eyes watched off in the distance. A bruised and battered fox in a waist coat with sun glasses and a hat on, only watched the girl of his heart move on.

Nick had escaped.

And he had only wanted to see her one last time... to tell her he was okay. To tell her... he loved her.

But it was too late. She loved someone else.

He didn't have the energy to feel anything more than just sorrow... a coldness going through him. He had been in hiding for four days. And today... he was going to get a train ticket out of this city so he could start a new future.

So he could have his freedom.

He watched Judy as she talked to Pete in the distance after the kiss. Nick dug his paw into his pocket and pulled out the carrot voice recorder.

He spoke into it sadly.

"Goodbye, Judy..."

He turned around to leave the park... to leave his life... to leave Judy.

As he walked towards the park gate he felt someone bump into him hard, and he fell to the ground. The animal who had knocked him also tripping over too.

He glared up annoyed, but worried his identity might be compromised. He suddenly saw the carrot recorder had dropped out of his pocket and was laying between him and the other animal.

Before he could scamper to pick it up he heard a voice say quietly.

"...Nick?"

Her voice.

Her... v-voice...

He slowly looked his eyes up and saw violet eyes stare back at him. Eyes just as shocked as his.

Judy had left Pete to start to investigate in private the surrounding area of the prison but she had been knocked forward in her hurry by a fox in a waist coat.

Him.

Nick... Wilde.

She looked down to the voice recorder, Nick not moving, frozen himself. She picked it up and pressed play, hearing his voice say, quietly.

"Goodbye, Judy..."

"Nick... you're... you're alive!"

"Shhh!" He whispered to her in haste and he quickly got up, helping her up too. She looked at him, just so happy... so joyous.

So... suddenly shy.

She loved him... SHE LOVED HIM. And only him.

"Nick, I-"

"I'm happy for you two..." Nick just said to her quietly and she paused. She looked at him confused. He continued, "You and Pete... you'll be h-happy together..."

"Me and Pete...?" She said with a startled voice. She looked at him, lost. "Me... and Pete...?"

"I knew from the moment you two saw each other, you would be together..." Nick said back quietly, but placed the carrot recorder in his pocket. "I knew it was love at first sight."

Judy pulled a funny look at that. Almost giving a small silly laugh. "What?"

"Look... I have to go. I can't stay here..." Nick looked at her quietly, hurting so much inside as he said in a whisper. His words slicing through Judy. "I'm leaving the city... as a fugitive."

"No..." Judy whispered back, her eyes tearing up and she ran to him, holding his paws and begging him, "No, Nick, don't!"

"You'll be alright without me..." he said back quietly, and looked at Pete in the distance. Only to see the male rabbit was sitting down depressed on his seat and Nick pulled a confused expression.

"Nick, I will never be alright without you!"

He didn't understand her tears, why she was so upset and he said to her. "But you have-"

"I. LOVE. YOU. NICK." She just said out loud, her voice as steady as she could make it. He froze at the words and Judy said again, her heart breaking if he didn't hear her soul cry for him. "I am in love with you!"

"But...?" he said, so baffled. So lost. He had to tell her. He had to finally say what he wanted to for so long.

"I love you... too."

"Please don't leave!" Judy begged, falling into his arms and he held her, helpless. He had to. He needed to.

"I can't stay here... my train is leaving in an hour."

Judy felt her heart beating frantically. She thought of her life... her childhood, her friends and family. Her career... the day she met Nick... the explosion... and how he was the only one that made her feel like she could go on.

He made her want to go on with him.

"Take me with you..."

Nick froze. He couldn't ask her to give up her life. Her whole world for him and he begged her back.

"Judy, please don't ask me to do this."

"Just give me your answer, Nick." She begged, tears rushing down her face and he felt his heart beat only for her. He didn't want to take away her future. "Yes, or no... just say, yes... or no."

He hugged her tightly and whispered in her ear.

"Only you can decide that... because I can't say no to you. I can't say no..."

Judy gave a heart breaking smile, and looked up at him, seeing his emerald eyes just staring helplessly into hers and she nodded her head.

She kissed him gently on the lips, pulling back only barely, as he took in the faint warm touch.

He didn't want to cry... but he felt this happiness came with a cruel acceptance.

They had to leave Zootopia. In one hour.

They let go of each other but their paws reached down to the other's in a firm hand hold and Nick smiled, in tears, at Judy.

She only nodded slowly back.

They disappeared into the crowds of the bustling streets.

Not being seen in Zootopia... again.

X

Pete sighed. He had just been thinking about all his life decisions up to this point, that had led him re-evaluating his life on this chair in the park.

Was he a failure in love..?

He would never know.

He got up with a sigh but got bumped into by a hare who was jogging by, and she turned around, still hopping in place as she looked at him and said with a friendly smile.

"Sorry there, handsome."

"Yeah, me handsome..." Pete said with a roll of his eyes and looked up to see who had said that, only to see a pretty hare smiling at him. He cleared his throat quickly and said nervously, leaning up against the chair he was just on.

"T-thanks..."

"You come here often? A cute guy like you usually has a girlfriend nearby."

Pete just laughed, and looked at the girl, feeling a bit more confident. He said. "I kinda just did... but... she didn't love me."

The hare blinked surprised. Damn, she thought to herself, why were all the really hot nice guys being rejected so much recently?

She stopped her jogging in place and approached Pete with a smile. Pete looked her up and down nervously as she came near him, and she smiled close up to his face, teasing almost.

"So, some crazy girl just left a poor helpless guy like you heartbroken in a dangerous park like this?"

"Sounds like it." Pete said, an innocent grin slipping out. He was surprised at himself. He usually never showed this amount of confidence and asked the girl, shyly- but keeping it cool. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Clara."

"That name... is actually really nice."

"Would you have said that about any name?" Clara asked with a grin and a raised eyebrow.

"No." Pete said, and he was being honest. "It's actually really pretty. W-where you from?"

"Born and raised here in Zootopia," Clara said with a wink and Pete just chuckled at that. "And you?"

"Oh I-" he began, getting nervous again. "Just a small rabbit town away from here."

"Well I'd love to sit and talk, but I have to get my jog done before work."

"What do you work as?" Pete asked, as she started to jog away and he tried to keep up, interested.

"Fitness coach."

"You must be really fit then."

"Fastest hare around. I even bet the tortoise." Clara said with a grin, liking this guy and his cuteness. She smiled devilishly at him and said with sparky eyes, "Wanna race?"

"Maybe..." Pete said, jogging along side her but found it hard to keep up as he panted a lot. "If I win, do you think you wanna get coffee sometime?"

"And if I win?" Clara said confidently and Pete swallowed nervously, afraid of what she would say. "Will you pay?"

"Yes!" he said excitedly, and Clara just giggled at this. She said with a sly voice.

"Okay, it's on." She suddenly fell into a sprint, and Pete ran after her, laughing at this bizarre race.

But hey? He hoped he won.

He was still strapped for cash.


End file.
